Destiny's Magic
by Rogue Ronin
Summary: destiny--can't hide from it, can't run from it either, no matter how hard one tries, destiny will always be there...waiting... Completed or is to TBC...
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Yes people I've came up with another fic! Writing these is so additcting wouldn't ya agree? lol anyway I have no rights to the Ronin Warriors in any   
  
way or fashion. Except for my own character Kaye...Oh yea, thanks to Sifirela for helping me come up with the title to this fic! So, grab some snackage, kick back   
  
and enjoy the fic! ja ne mina!   
  
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Destiny's Magic  
  
Ch 1  
  
Kento looked around, he could tell that something was wrong, but he couldn't place it. He then started to sense something that was there with him, something old, centuries old. Kento couldn't understand why he would be sensing this at all. Then he started to look around, trying to find it. But all he saw was a city that was completely empty. Kento started to walk around, as he walked further, he finally saw some cars. He decided to run over to them and ask what was going on. But as he got closer, the figures inside of the cars became even more clear. Kento began to slow down, his eyes went wide in surprise, and then he came to a full stop. Kento wanted to look away, but for some reason, he couldn't. What Kento saw in the cars, were people hunched over, leaning onto the steering wheels and onto the dashboards. 'What...What's going on? What happened? Why...Who did this?' Kento wondered in shock.   
  
"Rei Faun...Rei Faun..." a haunting voice echoed through out the empty city.  
  
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Kento called out as he looked around. "Where are you, why won't you show yourself?"  
  
"I know all about you, Rei Faun, your century old heritage of family magic that you've turned your back on. The century old feud between your family and the   
  
Tsungs, for the armor of Hardrock. You being a Ronin Warrior, your hopes, dreams, fears, friends, and even. Your wife...Everything." the haunting voice called back.  
  
"How do you know all of that?!" Kento yelled angrily as he was starting to lose his temper.   
  
The haunting voice laughed, "you'll know soon enough, Rei Faun, you'll know soon enough. But remember this, to have great power, will at times attract grave danger."  
  
"Damn it! Show yourself, you coward!" Kento yelled as his temper flared even more.  
  
"You'll know how to find me when the time comes." the haunting voice replied as it's laughter echoed through out the empty city.  
  
"Come back here! Come back!" Kento yelled as he sat up quickly.   
  
"Kento, hey Kento, what's wrong?" Kaye asked groggily as she started to wake up.  
  
"It's nothing, angel. Just go back to sleep, ok." Kento replied as he was trying to hide his frustrations from her.  
  
"Are you sure? I mean you woke up screaming..." Kaye said as she looked towards him in concern.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure. Now go to sleep. Everything will be all right, you'll see." Kento replied as he got out of bed.  
  
"Where are you going?" Kaye asked curiously.  
  
"I'll be right back, I'm just going to get some fresh air." Kento replied as he knelt down and eased her back to laying down on the bed. "I won't be gone long, I promise."   
  
"You better not." Kaye replied as she finally closed her eyes. Kento waited a while before he got up, just to make sure that she was asleep. Then when he was sure, Kento got up and walked out to their balcony.  
  
Kento looked out into the night, trying to figure out the dream that he's been having for a long time now. He first thought that it was nothing, but then the his dream was becoming more and more frequent. The same one night after night. The same eerie voice, the same creepy feeling, the same messages. 'Why are you doing this to me? What are you trying to get me to do? Why won't you just leave me alone!?' Kento thought in frustration as he grabbed tightly onto the rail almost crushing it   
  
into bits. More time passed, and then Kento finally got himself under control he headed inside. When Kento was finally in, he walked quietly over to his and Kaye's bed. Not wanting to wake her, he quietly started to get into it.   
  
But in the process of getting in, Kaye opened her eyes, "hey."  
  
Kento stopped and then sat down on the bed. "I thought that you were asleep." he said as he brought his legs up, and under the covers.   
  
"You know me better than that Kento." Kaye replied as she felt that Kento was finally settling in for the night.  
  
"Yeah, I guess that I do. Do you mind if we talk about it later, like in the morning. I would like to try and get some sleep." Kento replied as he wrapped his arms around her. Kaye didn't say anything, she just gave a nod. Kento then lifted his head up, and gave her a kiss on her neck and then laid back down. Kaye gently brought her hands and arms on top of his. He gave her a gentle squeeze before heading off to sleep, Kaye laid awake for a little while and then she finally went to sleep.  
  
The next morning there was a ringing resonating through out the room. While Kaye squeezed her eyes shut wishing for it to stop, but unfortunately, it kept on ringing. Kaye gave a tired groan as she flipped over to her other side. Kaye frowned as she felt that Kento wasn't there. She opened her eyes and saw that there was a note on his pillow. It said, "hey sorry angel, I didn't want to wake you, so I decided to go out early and get some training in before we meet up with the others at my aunt's bed and breakfast. I'll see you when I get back! I love you so much! Kento." Kaye gave a sigh as she took the note and put it on the table that was on his side of the bed. Just for that brief moment, Kaye totally drowned out the sound of the   
  
phone that was still ringing. Kaye took Kento's pillow and threw it at the phone, knocking the receiver off and onto the floor. "Kaye, Kento? Hey is anyone there?" a voice asked on the other end.   
  
"Sage?" Kaye asked as she finally grabbed for the phone.  
  
"Yeah it's me. Who else would be calling you two, oh wait, don't answer that." Sage replied with a small laugh. "Am I interrupting something? If I am, then I can always call back."  
  
"No Sage, you're not, and besides, Kento's out training." Kaye replied as she started to sit up in the bed. "What do you want Sage?"  
  
"I'm just calling to make sure that you two were coming this morning." Sage said as he looked over towards the others who were also waiting patiently.  
  
"Yeah, we're coming." Kaye replied, hearing the door open and then quickly shut as Kento started to run up the stairs. "Sounds like he's back. Tell ya what Sage, we should be over there in about fifteen minutes."  
  
"Ok see you two then." Sage said as they hung up the phone.   
  
"Hey who was that?" Kento asked as he ran in and got ready to shower and change.   
  
"It was Sage, he was just checking to see if we're still coming this morning or not." Kaye replied as she found her clothes. "So, how was training?"  
  
Kento stopped for a short enough time to walk over to Kaye, embraced her from behind, and kissed her. "How's that for an answer?" Kento asked with a grin as he let go.  
  
Kaye turned around, "I would say that it went very well." Kaye replied as she continued to get ready.   
  
"Yeah it did, and I feel better too." Kento said as he hopped into the shower.  
  
"Good, it's about time," Kaye called to him as she was dressing. "Oh yeah, I told Sage that we'll be there in fifteen minutes, so you better hurry up!"   
  
"Alright!" Kento called back as he quickly finished his shower and then dressed. "There, are you ready?"  
  
"Ready as you are. So let's go." Kaye replied as she climbed into the passenger seat. Kento got in and started his jeep. As Kento was driving, someone was lurking in the shadows, watching them.   
  
The figure then took something out of his pouch, threw it up in the air, and said, "arrow." then what looked like a ghostly-solid figure materialized a few feet in front of the jeep, bow drawn and ready to shoot right at them.  
  
"Kento, watch out!" Kaye warned as the ghostly figure pulled back the arrow. 


	2. ch 2

Author's Note: Hey, in case you're wondering, yeah, this fic is a spin off of my song fic Absent Empathy. You don't have to read the song fic to understand this story, but if ya want to, then go for it.   
  
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Destiny's Magic   
  
ch 2  
  
At the bed and breakfast, as the other Ronins, Mia and Kento's aunt Meih were waiting for their arrival, Meih dropped her tea cup and it shattered in tiny bits and pieces all over the floor. "Meih, what's wrong?" Mia asked as she rushed over to her.   
  
"Danger." Meih replied in a hushed tone.   
  
"Danger? Who, where?" Mia asked in a worried tone as she continued to support her.  
  
"Be quiet, child, I have to concentrate." Meih replied as she closed her eyes in order for her to focus. Meih could see the scene of the ghostly-solid archer was standing in front of Kento's approaching jeep, with arrow pulled back, and ready to shoot. "Ancient spirits of the elements, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Wood, and   
  
Metal, hear my plea and protect my loved ones for me. Shield!" As soon as she spoke the incantation, an orange circle that had shapes of the I Ching with the Tao   
  
symbol in the center carved into it, formed underneath Meih. The same orange circle formed underneath Kento's jeep, and the shield magically appeared just in the nick of time, just before the ghostly-solid archer could make its shot.   
  
"No!" the person in the shadows growled. "Arrow return!" Then as that was spoken the ghostly-solid archer disappeared as well as the shield and the orange circle.  
  
"They're safe." Meih said as she walked away from the confused Ronins and Mia.  
  
"I wonder what was all of that about. What did she mean by, they're safe? Who's they?" Rowen asked in confusion.  
  
"Do you think that she meant..?" Mia asked as she looked over towards them.  
  
"If she means Kento and Kaye, then shouldn't we go out and look for them?" Cye asked as he started to go for the front door.  
  
"There's no need, they are safe and sound." Meih replied as she came back.  
  
"How can you be so sure? And what was that you've pulled off just now?" Sage asked suspiciously.  
  
"I just know. And to your second question, I'll tell you when they get here." Meih replied calmly.  
  
"What was that? Why did it for some reason feel so familiar?" Kento wondered as he and Kaye were looking around for anything that could give them answers to what just happened.   
  
"This is too weird, I know that there was someone or at least something that was standing in front of us. There had to be, but there are no signs of footprints anywhere. So then what was that?" Kaye wondered with a slight frown.   
  
"Kaye,. let's go." Kento said as he opened up his door and climbed in.  
  
"Don't you want to try and find what attacked us?" Kaye asked as she opened her door and got in.  
  
"I think that we should just get to my aunt's bed and breakfast, and just forget the whole thing." Kento replied as he started his jeep and drove off.  
  
'That's not like Kento at all. Why would he just give up like that? He knows more than he's letting on.' Kaye thought as she watched out the window with a slight frown.  
  
As he was driving, Kento glanced over towards her. 'She definitely doesn't look too thrilled about the fact that I just pulled us out of the search. But if it's who I think it is, then I'm glad that I did. She doesn't need to be caught up in this.' Kento thought as he finally pulled up to the bed and breakfast.   
  
"They're here!" Cye announced as he saw them walking towards the front door.  
  
"I told you that they're safe and sound." Meih replied as they walked inside.  
  
"What happened? Are you two ok?" Ryo asked in concern as he stood up.  
  
"We're fine Ryo." Kaye replied as she and Kento joined the others. "There was this archer that was ready to shoot, and then out of nowhere, this shield came and..."  
  
"Kaye!" Kento warned as he cut her off.  
  
"Kento, why did you cut her off like that? What's with you?" Cye asked in confusion. "You've been acting very differently ever since your nightmares started. Now, I think that it's time for an explanation."  
  
"Cye, I don't have to explain myself to you, or to anyone else! Come on Kaye, we're leaving." Kento replied as he got up and pulled her with him.  
  
"Then maybe I can shed some light on my nephew's behaviors." Meih said in a very calm fashion. Kento stopped dead in his tracks, and then he turned around to face her.  
  
"They don't have to get involved in this aunt Meih! So then why are you deciding to drag them into it?" Kento asked angrily as he let go of Kaye.   
  
"By what you've just said, my nephew, I'm guessing that you haven't told them everything about you and your family, have you?" Meih said as a statement rather than a question.  
  
"I told you a long time ago, I've turned my back on that part of my family history. I've chosen a different path, I'm a Ronin aunt Meih not a sorcerer!" Kento shot back.  
  
"So you thought that just because you've chosen to become a Ronin that the other part, the magical part of you and your family would just disappear?" Meih asked calmly.  
  
"Yes,...No. I don't know what to think any more! But I do know that if I did accept that part of my family, then I would have turned evil and you know it!" Kento replied angrily as his eyes flared.  
  
"What!? Is that true Kento?" Rowen asked as his eyes went wide.  
  
Meih shook her head, "no child, that's not entirely true, you see, I've chosen to embrace the magical side of the Rei Faun family, and I'm not even close to being evil.   
  
It all depends on the will of the person if they will become evil or not."  
  
"What do you mean, when you said it depends on the will of the person?" Sage asked curiously.  
  
"I mean, that if the person's will isn't strong enough when they are given the gift of the Rei Faun magic, then there is a chance that the person will become evil." Meih replied.  
  
"But Kento has a strong will. He wouldn't turn! He wouldn't!" Kaye said in high conviction.   
  
Meih smiled, "it's good that you show such strong faith in my nephew, child. He's going to need that, especially since the Tsungs are here. And I know that you have   
  
sensed their presence, because I have as well."  
  
"The Tsungs? Who are they?" Mia asked curiously.  
  
"The Tsungs, I guess you could say that they are our family's' rivals. See, the Rei Fauns and the Tsungs have been feuding over the centuries for the armor of Hardrock and the magic..." Meih replied.  
  
"Aunt Meih, that's enough! You will not talk about this with my friends, my wife, and especially me! This conversation is over as of now!" Kento said as he interrupted her.  
  
"It's too bad that you feel that way, Kento Rei Faun," a man replied from the shadows. "Because, now it will be your undoing." 


	3. ch 3

Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 3  
  
"Hey who do you think you are, coming in here and saying that?!" Ryo asked angrily as he glared at the stranger.  
  
"I'm from the Tsungs family, and I'm sure that they can confirm what I say is true." the man replied as he finally came out of the shadows, and motioned to Kento and Meih.  
  
"Leave, you are not welcome here." Meih warned with narrowed eyes.  
  
"But I came here with a message to the young Rei Faun. Will you allow me to deliver it before I go?" the stranger asked.  
  
"Whatever you have to say, we're not interested, now leave!" Kento demanded angrily.  
  
"I'll leave when I'm good and ready," he replied, "now for your message; every breath that you take, Rei Faun, everyday, is on borrowed time. And soon your time will run out, when it does, I'll be waiting." the stranger replied with an evil laugh.  
  
"Don't bet on it..." Kaye said with defiance. "Now tell us your name."  
  
The stranger's eyes moved from Kento and Meih, and landed on Kaye. He smiled, "my name is Hikaru, and who are you my lovely?" Hikaru asked as he looked her over with interest.  
  
"Never you mind who she is. You've delivered your message, now leave!" Kento demanded as he stepped in between them.   
  
"Fine Rei Faun, I'm leaving...But remember, we'll meet again, count on it." Hikaru replied with an evil laugh as it echoed. Meih went back inside, and when she came back she tapped on Kaye's shoulder and motioned for her to come inside.   
  
"Aunt Meih...Why did..." Kaye started to ask.  
  
"Shhh, please be quiet and listen carefully." Meih replied as she took something out from her pocket and given it to her. "Take this and wear it, this talisman will be able to protect you from the Tsungs magic as long as you wear it."   
  
"But shouldn't we..." Kaye asked as she gratefully took the talisman and put it on.  
  
Meih looked around, "no, don't tell Kento or anyone else that I gave you this. Not yet. But beware of Hikaru Tsungs and anyone of his family, for they are very dangerous." Meih warned as she escorted Kaye back to the others.  
  
"Thank you, and I'll keep that in mind." Kaye replied as she bowed to Meih.   
  
"You two shouldn't go back to your house. Maybe you should come back to Mia's or some of us could stay with you two for a while, you know, just in case." Rowen suggested as they were all walking out to their vehicles.  
  
"Thanks for the concern, Rowen, but I'm sure that we'll be just fine. We'll see you guys later." Kento replied as he ushered Kaye inside and then climbed into the drivers seat.  
  
"Kento, wait!" Cye calls out to him as he drove off.  
  
"That went well." Rowen said in annoyance.  
  
"Meih, maybe it would make more sense if you would tell us what exactly," Ryo started to say, but as he and the others turned around Meih was gone. "Meih? Where did she go? She was here, right?"  
  
"Yeah she was Ryo, ok now this is getting creepy." Sage replied as a cold shiver went up and down his spine.   
  
"There's no way that Kento is going to even tell us about his family's magic. Actually, come to think of it, he never did talk about it once." Cye mused as he leaned back onto the wall.  
  
"What do you want to bet that he hasn't told Kaye about any of his heritage either." Mia replied with a slight frown.  
  
During the drive home, it was quiet, deathly quiet. Neither Kento nor Kaye were talking with each other. Each one had their own thoughts running through their heads. 'Is that why I've been getting those nightmares? Because of him? They and my family know that I've turned my back on the Rei Faun's family magic a long   
  
time ago. So then why is he after me now? Is it because I have the armor of Hardrock? It has to be, that's the only thing that would make any sense.' Kento thought as he continued to drive.  
  
Kaye watched out her window, 'why wouldn't Kento talk to me about this? Wouldn't he think that I would understand? Does he think that I would run away from him just because of his family's heritage? If he thinks that, then he's seriously mistaken. He should know by now that I would stand with him no matter what happens.' Kaye thought as she kept her gaze towards her window.   
  
'Poor misguided nephew, I wish that you didn't turn your back on your heritage. You'll need the magic more than ever now, especially with the Tsungs being here. I have this bad feeling that they're after more than your armor. And I'm afraid that if you don't embrace your destiny, then you'll lose much more than your armor.' Meih thought as she watched them from above and then vanished.   
  
'I should have known that the old one would be some trouble. I'm not surprised that I didn't sense her until just after I got there. She must have exceeded her powers. Figures, but who was the female that Rei Faun was so protective about? Could that be his wife? She seemed rather surprised about his little secret, as well as the rest of his friends. Then maybe that could be worked to my advantage. But I can't fight him here, I have to lure him somehow back to where it all started between the Rei Fauns and the Tsungs. I have to lure him back to Hong Kong.' Hikaru thought as he started to put his plan into motion.   
  
Shortly Kento drove up to their home and parked his jeep. Kento notices that Kaye is starting to walk towards the back. He frowns slightly, "Kaye, where are you going?"  
  
"I'm just going to do some training out back. I think that you need some alone time. So that's why I'm going. You," Kaye explained as she kissed him on the cheek. "Come and find me when you think that you have everything figured out." As Kento watched Kaye leave for their training area, he grabbed something to drink, and then sat down.   
  
"What's there to figure out?! I mean really? So what, I turned my back on a part of my heritage. No big deal, I didn't believe in that magic anyway, even when I was a kid." Kento mumbled in annoyance to himself as he took a drink. Memories started to flood back to him. He could see it plain as day. Kento saw himself as a small child, one day, he went to his aunt Meih's bed and breakfast for a family visit. While most of the adults were talking, he got bored and decided to see if his aunt was in the back. So he went out looking for her, because he knew that she had all kinds of cool things that she would show him and tell stories about. Then just as he was going to call out to her, he heard her talk in some kind of ancient Chinese language he thought that he heard once before, but he wasn't quite sure. So he continued to go forward, listening and watching for anything that seemed to be out of place, and then it happened… 


	4. ch 4

Author's Note: Hey, just taking a quick intermission to explain something else here. This is not a cross over with card captors. It may look like it, but it's not, I'm just using the entities, not the cards themselves. I've switched the entities' magical containment from cards to talismans and parchments, I'll be using the talismans and parchments either together or separate to summon and control the entities. The entities' descriptions and abilities are the same, but where they came from are not. Just a little fyi. ja ne  
  
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Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 4  
  
Kento was snapped back to reality when he heard a loud explosion. He quickly jumped up out of his chair and ran toward the source of it. Again there was another, and then he finally realized where it was coming from, it was coming from the back, more specifically, at his and Kaye's training area. 'NO...Kaye!' Kento thought in urgency as he continued to race towards the explosions.   
  
"Hikaru..." Kaye said as she glared at him in fighting position. "How did you find this place?"  
  
"I'll be happy to explain, I can sense any Rei Faun, and vice versa. So it was easy to track you two. I'm just surprised that since Kento knows I'm here, that he would let you walk around alone. And that my lovely, is a very dangerous mistake." Hikaru replied with an evil laugh.  
  
"Hey pal, I don't play the damsel in distress. I can hold my own thank you very much." Kaye said as she transformed into her sub armor.  
  
"Hmmm, very interesting. I was wondering what other type of magic that I was sensing. Now I know. But I warn you now, you have no idea of what you're getting   
  
yourself into." Hikaru warned as a glint of amusement gleamed in his eyes. "Now let's see what you can do when you're up against something like this." Hikaru quickly pulled out a talisman and a parchment, chanted a few words and then finally called out. "Shadow!"   
  
"What the?" Kaye asked as she stepped back from the dark cloaked figure.   
  
"You look surprised, well let me introduce you, this is shadow, he's well, let's just say that you'll find out in a few minutes." Hikaru replied as he motioned for shadow to get ready to attack. "Shadow...Attack." Just as Hikaru ordered it to, shadow darted towards her. Kaye saw that it was coming at a very fast pace, and it was getting closer by the second. Just about when the shadow was to complete it's attack, Kaye barely dodged out of the way, and rolled to the other side. Shadow halted, and then turned around and hovered in the air looking towards her, eyes flared red for a quick second.   
  
'That was too close.' Kaye thought as she got up.   
  
"Well done, now let's see how you do with a second one on the battle ground." Hikaru said in an impressive tone. He took out another talisman and parchment, and chanted a few more words, and then called forth another. "Time!" An old man holding an hour glass appeared hovering in the air just above them. "What will you do now?"  
  
As Kento ran, he could feel that something was terribly wrong. His speed in creased even more, as he quickly willed his sub armor. Just as he was about there, Hikaru motioned for both time and shadow to attack. Time glowed and made what Hikaru believed that Kaye was frozen, he then motioned for shadow to attack again. Just as Kento got with in seeing distance, he yelled out just as shadow engulfed Kaye inside. "NO!"   
  
Hikaru laughed as he turned around and seen that Kento was charging towards him. But just as Kento got close enough he froze in place. "What's the matter, Rei Faun? Can't move?" Kento growled, as he glared at Hikaru. "What's that? You don't say, I see, this could be very useful." Hikaru grinned evilly as he looked over towards Kento. "It seems that my shadow has told me of something that I find particularly interesting. It looks like the one that I have inside of shadow, is your wife. Now that I do find very intriguing."  
  
"Let her out! She has nothing to do with this!" Kento yelled at him angrily.  
  
"That's where you're wrong Kento, see it doesn't matter if the people that come into the Rei Faun family, either by blood or marriage, they are still considered Rei Fauns. So she is just as involved with this family feud as the rest of you." Hikaru replied with a wicked grin.  
  
"My family and yours knows that I've turned my back on the so called "magic" a long time ago! So then the only reason why I think that you're here is because of my armor!" Kento shot back.  
  
"Yes, we all know that you did, but it doesn't matter, you still have that magic running through you. You always will, it's your destiny. In regards to your armor, yes,   
  
I'm after that, but you don't see the full picture yet, and that's just a shame. But when and if you do realize my true reason, it'll be too late to do anything about it." Hikaru replied with a glint in his eyes.   
  
'Ken...Kento.' Kaye thought and then the light from the talisman she was wearing punched a hole right through shadow, wounding it. Hikaru turned around in anger as he saw that shadow was starting to wither away, and that Kaye was kneeling on the ground.   
  
'No! How can that be possible!? Unless...' Hikaru thought in anger as he saw the talisman that was swinging from Kaye's neck. Hikaru called them both back, "this is far from over, Rei Faun!" Hikaru vanishes, and Kento stumbled forward a bit, then quickly as he could, he went over to Kaye and knelt down beside her.  
  
"Kaye, are you..?" Kento asked in concern.  
  
Kaye looked up, he could see that she has a very tired look in her eyes, but over all ok. "Yeah Kento, I'm alright, just tired I guess. What about you? Are you..?"  
  
"I'm fine, just glad that you're ok." Kento replied as he helped her up. "Hey, what's that?" Kento motioned to the talisman that was now outside of her sub armor.  
  
"It's ah.." Kaye replied as was starting to try and explain it to him. Just then he realized what it was, his eyes narrowed and then he began to storm off. "Kento! Where are you going?!"  
  
Kento stopped and whirled around, "aunt Meih gave that to you before we left, didn't she!?"   
  
"Yeah she did, so what?! She said that it would help keep me safe! So what's your problem?" Kaye asked back.  
  
"I didn't want you or the others involved in this, especially you. If I lost you, then...I..." Kento replied quietly as he lowered his head and closed his eyes. Kaye walked over to him.   
  
"Kento, look at me." Raises his head, and looks towards him with caring eyes. "You're not going to lose me. I'll always be with you here." Placing her other hand to his heart. Kento brought his hands up and pulled her hand away, and held it in his. Kaye then took her other hand and gently put it on top. "You and I are one, now and forever." They looked deep into each other's eyes, and then started to move in closer to each other.   
  
They were close enough, as they were going to kiss, when, "I knew that I should have brought my camera.." Meih said as she appeared out of nowhere.  
  
They quickly broke apart, Kaye blushed and Kento gave a small growl. "Where did you come from aunt Meih?"  
  
"That's none of your concern, nephew. I sensed that there was terrible magic near by, and then I arrived." Meih replied in a calm fashion as she was floating in thin air.  
  
"How convenient." Kento mumbled under his breath.  
  
"Kento." Kaye replied as she glanced over towards him.  
  
"It's alright, I expect my nephew to respond like that towards me. I'm not surprised, and I don't see why I should be." Meih said in reassurance. "And besides, I also sensed that the talisman that I gave you did it's job, and protected you from the Tsungs magic."   
  
"Protected her, how can you say that it protected her!? Hikaru still was able to attack Kaye, and..." Kento ranted as he started to get angry.  
  
"And nothing really happened. Don't look at me like that. I know that he used shadow and time to capture her." Meih replied as she looked at them.  
  
"But how could you have known? You weren't here!" Kento said as his anger started to show.  
  
"Calm down nephew, becoming angry won't help you if you are to win against Hikaru Tsungs. You must learn how to use the magic that runs in your veins. Because if you don't then I'm afraid that you'll lose more than just your armor." Meih replied as she lowered her eyes.   
  
"Meih, if you know something, anything, please..." Kaye started to say.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I don't even know what all that Hikaru has planned. If I did, then I would have been able to help you out sooner, but now it's too late, I can't help you now." Meih replied as she shook her head.  
  
"What!? What do you mean you can't help us now? Why not? You're a Rei Faun like the rest of us! They'll be after you too, or have you forgotten?!" Kento asked angrily.  
  
"I haven't forgotten, but I can't help you here, my powers are at the maximum over where this feud originated." Meih replied as she looked up towards him.  
  
"And where is that exactly?" Kaye asked in a curious manner.  
  
"It's in Hong Kong." Meih replied as she started to vanish.  
  
"Meih, wait!" Kaye called out to her, but it was too late, Meih was gone. And then as soon as she was gone, an evil laugh echoed through out the night.   
  
"I recognize that voice! Hikaru! Show yourself if you're not a coward!" Kento challenged as he and Kaye looked around.  
  
"If you insist." Hikaru replied as he appeared with another entity that had a shape like a kaleidoscope floating beside him. "You look surprised to see me, what you actually thought that I've left? Well don't be, I only made it look like I was. You know, maybe we should let you get acquainted with another, well let's just call them mystical entities for now." A woman with covered with leaves and branches floated beside Hikaru. "Meet Wood."  
  
'Wood? What kind of name is that, and for the next thing, who the heck names these things anyway?' Kento wondered as he and Kaye glared up at Hikaru, both unaware that wood called upon the vines of the trees to form a cage. The cage started to slowly approach the two unsuspecting fighters, it was coming closer and closer, it was almost there, when.... 


	5. ch 5

Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 5  
  
'What the..?' Kento thought as he sensed something that definitely didn't feel natural.   
  
'I suggest that the two of you move, unless you want you and your wife to be ensnared in Wood's cage that's coming towards you from behind.' someone replied in Kento's mind.  
  
Kento took a quick look back and saw it coming. "Kaye, move!" Kento warned as he pulled her out of the way.  
  
"Kento...What?" Kaye asked as they landed to the side, and Wood's cage flew past, and crashed into a tree as it shattered into tiny pieces.   
  
"I should have known...Wood, return." Hikaru ordered, and then it disappeared. "Why don't you come out, Dark Lighter?"   
  
"Hikaru, I'm impressed. After all this time, you're still using the same old methods. I thought that after two hundred years that you would have learned something new by now." Dark Lighter replied as he came out from the shadows. "I see that you're still carrying on the feud between your family and the Rei Fauns." Hikaru just looked annoyed at Dark Lighter's words.  
  
"Who, or what are you? How did you know about..?" Kaye started to ask as she and Kento were now standing up and watching the two.   
  
"My name is Dark Lighter, I'm a demon, actually to be more precise, a two hundred old demon lord. To answer your question on how I knew about the feud, well it's too early for me to tell. You'll all know when the time comes, but now isn't that time. Right now Hikaru and I have some...Unfinished business to talk over." Dark Lighter replied as the two started to walk towards the shadows.   
  
"Oh and Rei Faun, I suggest that you brush up on your magic. Because, you'll going to need everything that you've got, and then some when we meet again." Hikaru warned as they disappeared.  
  
"Kento, this proves it..." Kaye started to say as she looked over towards him.   
  
"No Kaye, this doesn't prove anything. The only thing that this proves is how crazy everything is, and that's it, nothing more, nothing less." Kento replied as he was being stubborn.  
  
"Kento, would you open your eyes and take a look around? Nothing natural can cause this kind of damage. What are you so afraid of huh? What's got you so afraid that you're turning your back on who you really are?" Kaye asked as she was getting tired of this.   
  
"No it's not like that!" Kento replied as he was starting to get defensive.  
  
"Then what is it? Tell me what's gotten you so afraid that you turned your back on your heritage." Kaye said as she looked towards him in concern.  
  
"I'm afraid of what the magic will make me do. What it'll turn me into, if it'll make me do things that I don't want." Kento replied with a sad expression.  
  
"Kento.." Kaye said quietly as she brought him into an embrace. "Everything will work out, you'll see."   
  
'I hope so, but for some reason, this doesn't feel right at all.' Kento thought as they broke away from each other and started back to the house.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Mind telling me why you interfered like that for?" Hikaru asked in slight annoyance.  
  
"I don't have to explain myself to you, Hikaru. Just because you're a demon slayer and I'm a demon, doesn't mean anything. Besides, we're on the same side." Dark Lighter replied. "I'm giving you the extra power that you need in order to wipe out then entire Rei Faun family line."  
  
"Yes, I know, you don't have to remind me." Hikaru said hotly.  
  
"Maybe I do, because of what I saw, you're getting sloppy, very sloppy and I can't afford that. Especially if everything that is suppose to go as planned." Dark Lighter replied with a dangerous glint in his eyes.   
  
"Then I'll wait until later tonight to strike again." Hikaru said, "this time I'll get them both."   
  
"No." Dark Lighter replied in a warning tone.  
  
"No? Why?" Hikaru asked as he was getting angry.  
  
"Because I want you to go ahead to Hong Kong and get things set up there. I'll take care of the two Rei Fauns that are here." Dark Lighter replied.   
  
"Dark Lighter, are you implying that I..?" Hikaru asked angrily.  
  
"I'm not implying anything, Hikaru. It'll just be easier to do it this way." Dark Lighter replied, "now go."   
  
"Of course." Hikaru said as he vanished.  
  
'Hikaru is starting to get impatient. He's going to blow everything unless he gets his act together. Now, to bring the other two Rei Fauns to Hong Kong, my way.' Dark Lighter thought as he vanished as well.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Do you think that it was wise for master Hikaru to make an allegiance with a demon?" Sho asked as he and the other demon slayers from the Tsungs guild were waiting for Hikaru to come back. "I mean, he's no ordinary demon, he's Dark Lighter, the ultimate demon lord. Why would master Hikaru actually ally himself with someone like him? I thought that since were slayers that we are suppose to, well kill demons, not work along side with them."  
  
"Quiet down Sho, you know what happened the last time someone spoke up against master Hikaru?" Visea replied hurriedly in order to quiet him down. Visea and Sho knew that Hikaru had eyes and ears all around Hong Kong, and that anyone that spoke against him would go through a fate that's far worse than death.  
  
"I don't care, Visea, Hikaru has gotten too arrogant for his own good. He has lost sight of what's the true objective." Sho said in a bored manner.  
  
"You definitely have a death wish. You are completely out of your mind." Visea replied in disbelief.  
  
"So..." Sho said as he looked at his nails.  
  
"So? That's all you can say is so?" Visea asked as he looked at him wide eyed.  
  
"Don't get so excited, it's not like anything is going to happen to us right away, master Hikaru is going to need all of the slayers that he can get." Sho replied in arrogance.  
  
"That maybe so, but still, you shouldn't feel like you should talk so freely like that." Visea warned.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, whatever Visea. Come on we'd better get back, or master Hikaru will be out looking for us." Sho replied as they finally were on their way.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What the heck happened here?!" Cye asked in concern as he and the others finally arrived.  
  
"We had some unexpected company." Kento replied in a huff.   
  
"Unexpected company?! What, Kento, it looks like what happened to the city during the Dynasty Wars." Ryo said as he motioned over the destruction. Everything in sight looked like it was either petrified or destroyed totally beyond repair. "You should have called us!"  
  
"We didn't exactly have the time to call and say Ryo, hey mind rushing over here and helping us out. Besides, Hikaru and Dark Lighter were nothing that we couldn't handle anyway." Kento growled.  
  
"Dark Lighter? Who's that?" Sage asked as he looked over towards them.  
  
"He's a demon, and it looks like they're allies." Kaye replied with a frown.   
  
"What kind of demon?" Rowen asked with interest.  
  
"Don't know." Kaye replied as she shook her head. "But all he said was that he's a demon lord."   
  
"Very good, you were paying attention." Dark Lighter said as he appeared hovering above them. "Now I would suggest that you and your husband come back to Hong Kong with me…We can either do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way. It makes no difference."  
  
"Yeah right. Like we're going to go with you!" Kento replied as he and the others got into a fighting stance.  
  
"I thought that you would choose the hard way." Dark Lighter said, "this should prove to be fun." As soon as he finished saying that, demons came from all around and started to encircle them.   
  
"Sub armor, now!" Ryo called out as they dodged out of the way. They nodded and quickly changed, then the demons decided to kick it up a notch, and dive bomb everyone that was in their site. A couple of demons dived into the ground, and quickly came up from behind Kento and Kaye, grabbed onto them and flew them high into the sky, and then when they were high enough they let them go, plummeting down fast to the ground. 


	6. ch 6

Author's Note: Gomen, gomen, gomen, did I mention, gomen? lol I didn't mean to have so much time pass on the next chapter...Here are my reasons...Work, projects, a web site, getting ready for the holidays...um...yeah that's pretty much my reasoning...Well, here's the next chapter...Enjoy! ja matte ne!  
  
==============================================================================================================  
  
Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 6  
  
As Kento and Kaye were falling towards the ground, out of nowhere, a vortex appeared and swallowed them up right before everyone's eyes. The demon lord tossed his head back and laughed at their looks of disbelief. "Wha...Where are our friends? Answer me!?" Ryo demanded angrily as he and the others glared at him.  
  
"I won't tell you where your friends are. You don't deserve to know the exact location, but I will tell you that they are somewhere in Hong Kong." the Dark Lighter replied as he looked at them like they were tiny insects.   
  
"You'll bring them back, and I mean now!" Ryo ordered angrily as he and the others were now in full armor, and weapons ready.   
  
He threw his head back and laughed in amusement. "You, a pesky ronin are ordering me, Dark Lighter, the lord of demons, to bring back your friends?! They are mine, and you'll never get them back...Ever! So I would suggest that all of you get that idea out of your heads. They'll be lucky to even see any of you or the light of day ever again!" Dark Lighter replied as an eclipse suddenly came and throwing everything into total darkness. Then as the eclipse was done, Dark Lighter was gone.  
  
Meanwhile, in a hidden area that was hidden from view of the people of Hong Kong. "NO!" aunt Meih exclaimed in alarm as she slammed her hands down angrily on top of the table, almost making it split in half.  
  
"Aunt Meih, what's wrong?" Taea asked as he looked over towards her in concern.  
  
"The Dark Lighter...He..." aunt Meih replied as she closed her eyes.  
  
"He...He what? Aunt Meih?!" Taea asked again, now getting very worried.  
  
"He has them both." aunt Meih replied in a defeated tone as she lowered her head.  
  
"Now what are we suppose to do aunt Meih?" Taea asked in confusion.  
  
"We go and find them, then we bring them here." aunt Meih replied as she stood up and started to gather her magic supplies.  
  
Taea watched Meih gather the remaining of her supplies. "What if the Dark Lighter is expecting us to come?" Taea asked as he was trying to figure out her reasoning.  
  
"I know that he's expecting us." aunt Meih replied as she tied off her bag.  
  
"You know?!" Taea asked in disbelief.   
  
"Yes, I know...So now is the time for us to meet again. But this time, things will be different." aunt Meih replied as she headed for the door.  
  
Taea ran and got between her and the door. "Aunt Meih, you're not saying what I think you're saying, are you?" Taea asked with concern in his voice.  
  
"That's exactly what I'm saying, and that's why you're coming with me." aunt Meih replied as she reached over and handed him his packed magic bag.   
  
"Aunt Meih, before we go...I have a question." Taea asked as he looked towards her straight in the eyes.  
  
"Alright, what is your question?" aunt Meih asked back.  
  
"What makes them so important that we're risking our lives to go and rescue?" Taea asked as he stood there unwavering.  
  
"Because they have something that Dark Lighter thoathes the most." aunt Meih replied as she gave a small smile.  
  
"What's that?" Taea asked curiously.  
  
"True love." aunt Meih replied as her smile became a little wider. "See, the Dark Lighter's main motivation for his hate is true love. So that's makes them his prime targets. He'll do anything and everything to destroy that, and the people that have it. Now do you understand, Taea?"  
  
Taea frowned in deep thought for a while, and then he nodded in understanding. "Yeah aunt Meih, I understand, so then why are we still standing here talking? Don't we have a couple of Rei Fauns to rescue?" Taea asked with a smirk. Aunt Meih gave a quick nod and then in a blink of an eye they both took off towards Dark Lighter's secret lair.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey, get us down! Where are we, who or what are you?! Who's in charge of this place? Why won't you answer me!?" Kento yelled angrily towards the multiple   
  
different types of demons that were, for lack of a better word, hanging around.   
  
"Ah, the famous Kento Rei Faun, one of the five worldly famous Ronin Warriors." Dark Lighter replied as he suddenly appeared before him.  
  
"I'm glad that my rep has impressed you." Kento shot back as he glared at him.   
  
Dark Lighter seemed quite amused by Kento's reply, "and I see that your lovely wife has come along for the ride as well. Good, this will cut down on the time that we would have tracked her down." Dark Lighter replied as he moved from Kento to Kaye as he caressed the side of her face.   
  
"Don't touch me, or else..." Kaye warned angrily.   
  
Dark Lighter just laughed, and then in the split second that his hand left her face, he clutched her throat, making her gasp for air. "I like them firery." Dark Lighter replied as he tightened his grip. "But unfortunately, my dear, you're in no position to be telling me what to do. So I would suggest that you would watch your tongue when you're around me, or else we'll have one less Rei Faun to deal with much earlier than expected. Do I make myself clear?"   
  
Kento's eyes narrowed angrily as he watched Dark Lighter squeezing Kaye's throat. "Let go of her now!" Kento said in a dangerous tone, as he struggled against the invisible restraints.  
  
Dark Lighter slowly turned his head towards him. "I think that someone needs to learn their place!" he replies, as he grabbed Kento's throat as tightly if not tighter. Kento was definitely having a hard time breathing.  
  
"Please...Stop." Kaye pleaded, as she struggled to get the words out.  
  
"I don't see why I should." Dark Lighter replied, as he kept his iron grip on both of them. He started to back away so he'd be able to see them better. "Actually, the two of you should count yourselves lucky. Instead of killing the both of you, I'll let you live...For now."   
  
"How considerate." Kento said through clenched teeth.  
  
"Besides, I have bigger plans for the two of you. So, I guess that I'll need you alive." Dark Lighter replied, as he finally let go.  
  
"Kento, are you alright?" Kaye wheezed, as she looked over towards him.  
  
"Yeah, are you?" Kento asked back.  
  
Kaye nodded in response. At that moment, for some reason, Dark Lighter turned around and saw a bunch of demons getting ready to cross over. "You, yes you, come here." Dark Lighter ordered. The demon swung over to him, wondering to the reason of why he was called. Before anyone knew what was happening, Dark Lighter plunged his hand deep into the demon's chest. The demon's eyes grew wide, it grabbed onto Dark Lighter's arm with both hands and tried to pull away. The demon lord became angry instantly, his eyes narrowed, "big mistake." he said as he dug deeper into the demon's chest and yanked out half of it's beating heart.  
  
"L...Lord Dark Lighter...Why?" the demon asked in pure shock.  
  
"Because I can." the demon lord replied, as his eyes flared jade in color. Which made the half of the beating heart that he held speed up and burst into flames. The demon gave a blood-curdling scream that echoed through out the room. At the same time, the other half of the demon's heart also sped up and ignited. But it didn't stop there. The fire that was burning the demon's heart on the inside of it's body, started to consume the entire demon from the inside out, leaving nothing but ashes. 


	7. ch 7

Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 7  
  
"Alright, getting to Hong Kong is going to be the easy part." Ryo said as everyone was gathering in the living room.   
  
"So then, when we do get there, which will be harder, finding them, or getting them out from wherever they are?" Cye asked, in concern as he looked around the room.  
  
"We might be able to track them down by our connection with each other through the armors." Sage replied, as he leaned back against the couch.   
  
"Yeah, but the one that took them might block our connection." Rowen reasoned, as he pointed out that possibility.  
  
"Well, we're not going to find out anything just by sitting around here. So, we better see about travel arrangements, and getting some sleep, because I have a feeling that this could be one of the hardest battles yet." Ryo replied, with a slight frown.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Aunt Meih, how are we suppose to find them?" Taea asked, as they hurried through the busy streets.  
  
"I'm not worried about finding them Taea, they'll find us." aunt Meih replied, as she started to slow down, and noticed that they were being followed.  
  
"What do you mean, they'll find us?" Taea asked, in slight confusion.  
  
"If you would train a bit harder in your magic, then you've would have spotted them sooner." aunt Meih replied, as she motioned towards the two on the near by roof.  
  
"You're kidding, Aunt Meih, they're just birds." Taea argued, as he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Like I said, they're not mere birds, they're spirits, spies for Dark Lighter." aunt Meih explained, as she watched them.  
  
"So then, what do those birds...Spies...Spirits, whatever they're called just sitting there watching us?" Taea asked in annoyance.  
  
"They're waiting." aunt Meih replied, as she looked towards him.  
  
"Waiting!? Waiting for what?" Taea asked, as he was getting a little more annoyed.  
  
"For us to follow them. They're taking us to where Dark Lighter has Kento and Kaye." aunt Meih replied.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Everyone and everything stopped what they were doing, and stared in pure fright of what the demon lord just done. "That was no fun for me at all, not like it first use to be." Dark Lighter said, in a bored tone, as the smoke rose from his hand, and the ashes of the burnt up heart shifted through his fingers.  
  
Kento closed his eyes, and lowered his head in order to try and erase what he'd just seen. "Oh God." Kaye said, in a barely audible voice, as she quickly shut her eyes, and turned her head. Dark Lighter's ears twitched a little as he heard what she said.  
  
The demon lord turned around and floated up towards her. "Did I upset you, my lovely?" Dark Lighter asked, as he ran his hand along her jaw line.  
  
"You're nothing but a savage!" Kaye replied, as she turned her head, and glared at him.  
  
"A savage you say? That's quite amusing, for you see, I've hardly begun to even come close." the demon lord said with an evil grin. Just then he noticed something hanging from Kaye's neck. "What's this?"  
  
Kaye's eyes went wide as he roughly yanked it off of her neck. "Don't take that, give it back!" Kaye replied, as her eyes narrowed angrily. Kento snapped his head up and saw the talisman that his aunt have given her, dangling from the demon lord's hand.  
  
"Looks like Meih has thought of a way to protect you from the Tsungs' magic, but unfortunately, it did not protect you from me." Dark Lighter scoffed in amusement.   
  
"But it does not matter, Meih is coming along with one other, and I'll be waiting." Dark Lighter took the talisman, clutched it in his hand and vanished.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Meih and Taea were at the hidden entrance of the demon lord's lair. "Um, aunt Meih, how do we get inside?" Taea asked as he looked at her curiously.  
  
"Be patient nephew, the entrance will show itself to us in due time." Meih replied as the two birds were waiting for the signal from their lord. They got the clear sign to   
  
go. So then the two birds took off from the branch that they were waiting on and flew right through a brick wall.   
  
"No way! It's not possible!" Taea said in disbelief as his eyes went wide in shock.  
  
"Everything is not as it seems, now you have a choice, one you can stay out here and wait for us, or two you could come inside." Meih replied as she gathered her magical supplies. "I don't know about you nephew, but I'm going in." Without hesitation, Meih phased through the wall while Taea stood there dumb founded. He then frowned and finally after waiting a few more minutes, he went inside. "What took you?"  
  
"Cute aunt Meih, real cute. So we're in, now what?" Taea replied in slight annoyance. Just before she could reply, something fell right in front of her, the object made a small clink sound as it hopped a few more times and then finally stopped, laying motionless on the ground. Meih frowned and walked over towards the object, she picked it up and clutched it in her hand. "Aunt Meih, what is it?"  
  
Meih slowly turned around and then opened her hand, showing him. "It's the talisman that I gave Kaye after one of the Tsungs attacked the first time. The demon lord must have found it, and tore it away from her." Meih replied sadly.  
  
"So then what does that mean?" Taea asked in concern.  
  
"It means that she's no longer being protected by my magic. There's no choice, we have to find them and fast, we're running out of time. I'm hoping that we're not too late." Meih replied as she explained the dire situation. Just before they were going to go and look for them, Dark Lighter showed up out of nowhere hovering in the air in front of them.  
  
"Well done, Meih, I'm impressed. You still as sharp as ever." Dark Lighter said in mock amusement. "Tell me, is your magic just as sharp, or have you lost your edge over all this time?"  
  
"Dark Lighter, where are Kento and Kaye? I know that you have them here somewhere. So instead of wasting each other's time with bantering back and forth, why   
  
don't you just tell me, and we'll be on our way." Meih replied in annoyance as she was searching in her bag for a magical item.  
  
"Sorry, you know that I don't work that way. That'll be too easy, if I just told you where they are. Then where would the fun be?" the demon lord asked as he looked towards her.  
  
"You've crossed the line when you took them, and you know it. Or don't you remember the pact that was done between the Rei Fauns, and the Tsungs?" Meih asked as she was about ready to defend herself if needed.  
  
"But Meih, I didn't breach any pact, I'm just a demon lord, I have nothing to do with either family." Dark Lighter replied with a smirk.  
  
"That's a lie Dark Lighter, you've had influence over the Tsungs family for centuries. So then when you too them from their home and brought them here, you've broken the pact." Meih pointed out as she was slowly bringing out a talisman and a parchment. "Taea, get out of here, go and look for Kento and Kaye, I'll stall Dark Lighter as long as I can."  
  
"Stall? What do you mean by stall? Can't you defeat him?!" Taea asked in confusion.  
  
"In my younger days, I was much stronger, but over the years, time has not only diminished me in age, but also in my magic...A person can only practice magic for so long, and then..." Meih explained, "now go!"  
  
"No, aunt Meih you can't! Please, just come with me. I'll need your help, I can't rescue them alone." Taea asked in urgency.   
  
"Taea, you might not be a Rei Faun, but you're still my apprentice. I chose you because I saw great potential in you that's why I taught you everything I knew, now go, you're wasting time." Meih replied as she called forth a woman with odd pony tails and clenched fists. Dark Lighter backed up a little from them. "What's the matter Dark Lighter? You seem to be scared of something."  
  
The demon lord glared at Meih and what she called forth. "I'm not afraid of anything, old woman!" Dark Lighter replied angrily. While those two were preoccupied   
  
with each other, Taea slipped away to find Kento and Kaye.  
  
'Be careful aunt Meih.' Taea thought as he took one final look back, as he continued to look.   
  
"So Dark Lighter, you do remember Fight. Good, I was hoping you would." Meih replied with a cocky grin. "Considering that she's the one that really kicked your sorry ass the last time we met." 


	8. ch 8

Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 8  
  
As the fight between the demon lord and Meih was about to begin, Kento and Kaye were having problems of their own. Different types of demons were coming from vortexes that were popping up from every area of the room. They started to fly around Kento and Kaye, sniffing around them like dogs. "Magic, strong magic, I smell from them, deep within, not unleashed yet." a fox demon said as it and the others continued to sniff around.   
  
"What you're smelling fox boy, is the magic of our armor, and you'll get a taste of it when we're free, and kicking your sorry tail!" Kento replied angrily with his eyes blazing.  
  
"No, that's not the magic that he's talking about. This is a different type of magic, a century's old family magic." the snake demon hissed as his forked tongue vibrated.   
  
Kento's eyes widened as he realized what magic they were talking about. "Maybe we can tap into their magic ourselves." Kento and Kaye looked towards each other with a hint of fear in each other's eyes.   
  
The fox demon narrowed his eyes in deep thought. "No, let's save that pleasure for our lord and his priestess, as well as their drones."  
  
"Aw, that's no fun, but I do suppose you do bring up a good point, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun while we wait." the snake demon replied with a deadly gaze as it swayed between Kento and Kaye, as he was trying to decide on who to strike first.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
'Oh man, why does this place have to have so many twists and turns. I swear, it's worse than the maze back home.' Taea thought in annoyance as he continued to try and find them. As Taea was running, a jaguar demon was leaping across the tops of the maze chasing Taea. 'What the?' Taea finally senses that he's being followed.   
  
He stopped and stood up, waiting for his pursuer as he searched for his talisman and parchment. The jaguar demon saw that he was sensed, he growled and then leaped down to the floor in front of Taea.  
  
"Well, you found me, so now what?" Taea asked as he started to pull out his magical objects.  
  
"I can smell magic coming from you. It's not the same magic as the Rei Fauns', but it's still magic none the less, and I shall take it from you." the jaguar demon replied as he stared him down.  
  
"Well you're half right, I do have magic and I am a Rei Faun, but where you're wrong is in the fact that I'm just going to let a low level demon like you take my magic away from me so easily." Taea said in a challenging tone.  
  
"We shall see." the jaguar demon replied as he went into a fighting stance. The jaguar demon watched and wondered as he waited to make his move. 'Why is he just standing there? Does he have something up his sleeve?'   
  
"Look, are we going to stand here all day, or are we going to fight? I have places to go and people to save, so unless we're going to do this, I suggest that you get out of my way." Taea said as he gave his ultimatum. The jaguar demon growled, and then his eyes flickered, in a blink of an eye, he leaped high into the air and got ready to pounce. Taea was ready for this as he smirked, and pulled out his talisman and parchment. Taea chanted quickly and called forth an entity that looked somewhat like a wolf standing in front of him ready to fight.  
  
"What!?" the jaguar demon asked angrily as he landed just short of them.  
  
"You looked surprised, what? Haven't you ever seen a wolf that's made entirely by lightning? In case you've missed it the first time, his name is Thunder, and he's more than ready to fight. Aren't ya boy?" Taea asked with a smirk as they kept their eyes on the jaguar demon. Thunder gave a growl in the jaguar demon's way as it stood there. "Thunder, lightning and thunder attack! Go!"   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dark Lighter, Meih, and Fight stood there, just watching each other like an old western showdown. The demon lord smirked as he was forming his plan. "What's so   
  
funny? Is it the fact that we're going to kick your sorry ass so amusing to you?" Meih asked skeptically.  
  
"No, it's just the fact, after all this time that you even would still be fighting demons, I thought that you would be dead and gone by now." the demon lord replied as a twinkle of danger went off in the corner of his eyes.  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you, but there hasn't been a demon that I couldn't fight, especially with the help from my magic." Meih replied as she wondered where he was going with this.  
  
"True, I guess that does give you some kind of advantage, especially since you've been alive for the last two hundred years." the demon lord said in slight amusement.  
  
"So kind of you to remember, if you weren't the demon lord, then I might actually be flattered." Meih replied with a smirk.   
  
"Enough of this, let's get down to business." Dark Lighter said hotly as he reached in and took out a talisman and a parchment of his own. "You're not the only one Meih, that knows about the magic that you possess." A little girl in puffy pants materialized beside the demon lord.   
  
"You're using Power against Fight. Huh, interesting choice, considering that only the Rei Fauns and Tsungs know exactly how to use this magic." Meih replied as she and Fight got ready to rumble.   
  
"And you're forgetting who was the one to increase the Tsungs' powers in the first place. Causing them to be able to over power you Rei Fauns for almost half a century. Besides, there's more than one way to use this magic." Dark Lighter said as his eyes and Power's eyes glowed the same color. Meih and Fight were still in   
  
fighting position, but they took a step back, not knowing what to expect. As soon as the demon lord reached a certain power level, he and Power fused together, increasing his strength a hundred fold.  
  
"No, it can't be...There's no way that the entities could be used in that fashion?!" Meih replied in disbelief.   
  
"You're so wrong Meih, just like to everything else, there are corners that can be cut, especially if you're a demon lord. So that means I can manipulate any magic that comes my way, and make it do whatever I want." Dark Lighter said as he laughed. Before either of them could defend, the demon lord attacked them head on, causing Fight and Meih to split apart. "Looks like we, oh I'm sorry, I meant you might have a slight problem." The demon lord attacked Meih with such speed and strength that she could barely put up a defense. Then as he was going to increase in power, Fight came between them and to her best ability, blocked the on coming attack.  
  
Meih's eyes went wide as she watched Fight fall to the ground and fade away, as her form went back to the parchment. "No..." Meih said quietly as she shook her head.  
  
"Oh yes, and now I need something from you that will provide useful to me in my plan for when I deal with the two Rei Fauns." Dark Lighter replied with an evil smirk as he knocked out Meih. "There we go, now you'll won't be needing this anytime soon." The demon lord mused as he took out a talisman and a parchment that had the entity that looked like an old woman facing right holding a blue clock. "It looks like you won't be using Return for a while. Pity, that entity might have helped you to prevent me from destroying every single Rei Faun past, present, and future." The demon lord takes Return and then fades away.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
'Aunt Meih?' Taea thought in concern as he and Thunder stopped in mid action.  
  
The jaguar demon noticed that Taea seemed to be preoccupied about something. "Hey boy, what's the matter? You seem concerned about something, or should I say someone?" The jaguar demon asked with a smirk.  
  
Taea and Thunder growled, "it's none of your business! Come on, we're wasting time!" Taea replied as he and Thunder got ready to fight again.  
  
"If you're in that much of a hurry to be killed, then so be it." the jaguar demon said as he attacked in full furry. The speed and agility of the jaguar demon took Taea and Thunder by complete surprise. So much of a surprise that they could barely put up a defense.   
  
'Damn!' Taea cursed angrily as he and Thunder glared at him.  
  
The jaguar demon laughed, "what's the matter boy, am I too fast for you?" the jaguar demon asked in amusement. Just as he was going to reply, Taea noticed that Thunder for some reason was actually limping.   
  
'What!? How could that be possible!? He couldn't have injured Thunder like that, could he!?' Taea thought in concern as he caught Thunder's glance.   
  
"Aww, the poor wolf is injured. I know, I'll put it out of it's misery, it'll be quick and painless." the jaguar demon said as he made a dark substance of some kind envelop Thunder completely. The wolf tried to struggle out, but it made no difference it was defeated, as it faded and went back to the parchment. Taea lowered his head, he couldn't believe that actually happened. But in that split second that he took his eyes off of the jaguar demon, he attacked and knocked Taea out cold.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I would suggest that you all would back away from those two, unless of course you'd want a repeat demonstration of my powers on you." Dark Lighter warned as he appeared back in the room.  
  
"Dark Lighter! Ah, no my lord, we were just..." the snake demon replied as they were backing away from Kento and Kaye.  
  
"Never mind what you were thinking of doing. It's time, call forth the priestess and her followers." the demon lord ordered.   
  
"Yes, of course my lord." the fox demon replied as he and the others did as they were told. In no time, a demon priestess and her followers came out from behind a group of smaller demons. A path was made so they would be able to get to their destination.   
  
"Nara, it's good to see that you could join us." Dark Lighter said with an evil grin.   
  
"Is it time my lord?" Nara asked in curiosity as she looked over towards their captives.  
  
"Yes Nara, it's time." the demon lord replied as Kento and Kaye were floated down in front of them, still being restrained. They tried so hard to get free, but the   
  
more they struggled, the worse the pain was. "Why can't either of you get it through your heads that it's useless to even try to get free? Besides, what I have planned for the two of you won't take very long anyway." The demon lord positioned himself in front of Kaye, while Nara did the same to Kento. They looked towards each other, and exchanged evil grins. Nara quickly motioned for four of her followers, one on her left, one on her right, while the other two were doing the same with the demon lord. Then the followers drew out a ceremonial dagger, and sliced a long and deep gash in both hands of Nara and Dark Lighter. Their blood ran freely from their cuts. Then they did the same to Kento and Kaye, they screamed in agonizing pain, Nara and Dark Lighter just laughed. Then the followers stepped away from them and waited for the next step in the ritual.   
  
"Now the real fun begins." Nara said as she started to get in extremely close to Kento, close enough that he could feel her breath on his face. Dark Lighter also closed the gap on Kaye. Then at the same time both Dark Lighter and Nara started to seductively tear away their clothing starting with their shirts. As Nara was caressing Kento's chest with her bloody hands, Dark Lighter took off Kaye's bra, and then started to roam her body. Kento and Kaye closed their eyes, they couldn't believe what was happening. Then the demon lord's and Nara's hands slowly ran down to their jeans and quickly tore them off, and same with their underwear, leaving them totally naked. Dark Lord and Nara were now looking at them up and down, they then stripped as well. Nara again motioned over towards her followers. They nodded back and then Dark Lord and Nara got in close and tight to Kento and Kaye, as they were face to face, the demon lord and Nara took their hands and pressed them tightly against Kento's and Kaye's, matching gashes for gashes. They tightened their grip so tight that no matter how hard they tried to pull away, they wouldn't be able to. Then they curled their fingers between theirs to make the bond even tighter. Out of nowhere, two chains appeared and wrapped their naked bodies tightly together. Once that was finished, the followers opened their books and started to chant, a mist floated from the books and onto the chained couples. After the mist enveloped them, a bright light came from the followers' eyes and shot out towards them. The light went inside of Kento and Kaye, it dug so deep that their insides felt like they were on fire. Then when the time was right, Dark Lighter and Nara forcefully kissed them, plunging their tongues deep inside their throats. They thrusted in deeper until they found what they were looking for, and then as they pulled away, a bright orange and silver light imitated from Kento and Kaye. Encircling around the chained couples, and then not knowing which vessel to return to, the demon lord and Nara swallowed their magic whole. The light that was around them finally faded as soon as Nara's followers vanished, as well as did the chains that were around them. Nara and Dark Lighter stepped back from Kento's and Kaye's unconscious bodies.   
  
"Was that as good for you as it was for me?" Dark Lighter asked with evil satisfaction as he felt Kaye's magic within him.  
  
"Maybe, even better." Nara replied with a wicked grin as she started to feel Kento's magic inside her. The two of them finally got dressed, "you know, we just can't leave them like that."  
  
"Nara, are you getting soft?" Dark Lighter asked as he raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Oh no my lord. By no means, it's just that the other demons might get ideas, and well we're still not finished with them yet." Nara replied with a seductive grin.  
  
"You do seem to have a point, Nara. Well then at least we can clothe them for now. We'll figure out what to do with them later." the demon lord said as his eyes flashed and then Kento and Kaye were clothed with torn, old-ragged clothing, and then they were raised up to where they were before. "Now, no demon is to touch them, and if they do, then they'll meet a fate far worse than death."   
  
At the same time, in a different place outside of Hong Kong, the other Ronins clutched their heads and screamed in excruciating pain, as they couldn't take it any more and finally fell to the ground unconscious. 


	9. ch 9

Destiny's Magic  
  
Ch 9  
  
"My lord." a spider demon hissed as he approached him.  
  
"What is it?" Dark Lighter asking in annoyance, as he turned around to face it.  
  
"It seems that they are here." the spider demon replied, as all eight eyes gave off a glint.  
  
"Show me." Dark Lighter ordered. The spider demon gave a slight nod, and then its eyes showed the scene of the Ronins laying on the ground, unconscious. "That's enough, go and bring the Ronins here, but I want them alive." The spider demon bowed, and then called upon four others to go as well. The demon lord looked up towards his two unconscious victims, and grinned, "soon everyone will be together, and when we're all here, they'll be helpless when they watch the two of you eventually die, well that is of course after your usefulness to me is over."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
One by one, each of the Ronins started to come around. As they awoke, they clutched their heads in pain. Wincing, as they started to slowly move. "Oh man, what was that?" Ryo groaned as he carefully got up. As soon as he was up, Ryo stabilized himself against a bolder, and then looked around at his friends. He noticed that they were finally fully coming around as well. "Hey, you guys ok?"  
  
"Considering that I have a headache the size of Mt. Fuji, then yeah Ryo, I feel just great." Rowen replied, as every word dripped with sarcasm.  
  
"Anyone have any idea of where we are?" Cye asked as he looked around to see who has an answer to his question.  
  
"Yes, I'll tell you where you are." a hissing voice replied.  
  
"Who said that!?" Sage asked as he narrowed his eyes. "Show yourself!"  
  
"If you insist, but I can guarantee you that you're not going to like it." the hissing voice replied as five extremely large spiders stood above them, they all have that look in their eyes that basically said, you're doomed.  
  
"Hey, maybe these eight legged freaks know where our friends are." Rowen said as he and the others kept their eyes on them. The spider demons growled, as they suddenly became angry. "Suppose they heard that huh."  
  
"Rowen, I would say that's pretty much a safe bet." Ryo replied as the spider demons jumped from their ledge and landed right in front of them.   
  
"I don't suppose that we could talk this over?" Rowen asked as he and the others backed away a bit, considering that the spider demons were towering over them.  
  
"Time for talk has passed. If it wasn't for our lord, we would have killed you all instantly. But he has other things planned for you annoying pests." the leader said as they all advanced towards the Ronins, making them back off over the cliff and into a giant web.   
  
"Aw man, this is definitely not good." Sage said as he and the others were trying to struggle free.  
  
"Oh really Sage, and what was your first clue?" Rowen asked sarcastically as he looked over towards him.  
  
"Guys, if you don't mind? Could you two find a better time to discuss this?" Cye asked as the five demon spiders finally made their way down to them. Each spider demon went over towards a different Ronin.   
  
"You don't scare us ugly, we've seen Warlords scarier looking than you." Ryo said as he glared at the spider that was above him.   
  
"We're wasting time, now, if you don't want to see your two friends, then we'll just leave you here like this, and we'll come back later to have lunch." the spider leader hissed.  
  
"Lunch!? You don't mean..?" Sage asked as his eyes went wide. The spider demons gave a slight nod, "alright, alright, you win. Tell us where our friends are!"   
  
"Oh we'll do better than tell you, we'll bring you to them, but on our terms." the lead spider replied as each one bared their fangs and sunk them into each Ronins' neck. They yelled out in extreme pain as the poison coursed through their bodies, paralyzing them as the demon spiders spun their webbing and cocooning them all   
  
the way up to their necks, and finally picked them up and placed them on their backs heading back.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As time passed, Meih was finally coming around. "Dark Lighter has gotten stronger since the last time." Meih said as she was carefully getting up. "Especially it helps when he uses Power to his advantage." Meih reached into her pouch and pulled out Fight. "I'm sorry, I should have been more prepared for Dark Lighter. You shouldn't have had to go and get injured like that. Well, don't worry, we'll get him back for hurting you, and I'm sure that when you're up to it, you'd want a piece of that action too." Meih gave a small laugh and then put Fight away, she then looked around to see if she could sense anyone, or anything. Meih frowned, she couldn't get a strong reading from anyone, not Taea, Kento, Kaye, or even the Dark Lighter. So she pulled out a locator stone that she wore around her neck. It started to sway back and forth, and then finally it locked onto someone. Meih grabbed onto it and then ran in that direction.  
  
"Man, I don't believe this. How could we have lost so easily?" Taea asked angrily as he was getting up. "The next time that I see that jaguar demon, he's going to pay for hurting Thunder like that, I swear it." As he finally got up, Taea sensed someone coming his way, and whoever it was, is coming towards him very fast. Taea was about to get into defensive position, until he heard a familiar voice.  
  
"Taea, hold on, it's me!" Meih called out as she slowed down to a full stop. "Thanks Dash." The fox like entity with the rabbit ears gave a nod and then retuned to the talisman as Meih returned it back into her pouch.   
  
"Aunt Meih, you're alright?" Taea asked in concern as he looked over to her.  
  
"I'm fine, but Fight was injured when she went up against the demon lord." Meih replied as she looked over towards him. "What about you?"  
  
"You mean besides a bruised ego? Yeah, I'm fine, but Thunder got hurt too, but it was by a jaguar demon." Taea replied in disappointment.  
  
"I see, it looks like for some reason, the demon lord some how increased his power along with his chosen demons. But that couldn't have happened unless..." Meih's   
  
eyes suddenly went wide with realization.  
  
"Aunt Meih, what's wrong, aunt Meih!?" Taea asked urgently.  
  
"He actually did it. I don't believe it, no it can't be true." Meih replied in disbelief as she started to shake a little.  
  
"What are you talking about? Would you fill me in already? Hey, aunt Meih, get a grip would you!?" Taea asked as he slapped her across the face. "Aunt Meih,   
  
I'm...I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."  
  
Meih closed her eyes as she reached up towards the burning sensation on her cheek. "No Taea, you were in your full right to strike me, I was starting to get hysterical. Thank you, now, I think that we'd better get a move on, if I'm right, then Kento and Kaye don't have much time left."  
  
Taea frowned, "aunt Meih, what do you mean? Did he..?"   
  
"Yes, the demon lord and his priestess along with her followers stripped them of their powers." Meih replied as she looked up towards him with sad eyes.  
  
"No! But aunt Meih, isn't there someway that they can get their powers back? There has to be, please tell me that there's a way!" Taea said as he started to panic.   
  
"Taea, get a hold of yourself! Yes, there's a way for their magic to be replenished, but I'm afraid that it'll be very risky. It's been only done a few times...' Meih replied with a sadden tone.  
  
"You don't mean? Aunt Meih, no.." Taea replied heart broken.  
  
"It's the only way Taea, if this world and everyone in it is going to survive, then it has to be done. There's no point in arguing about it, so don't even try." Meih said as she turned her back away from him and concentrated on the locator stone. "I've found them, come Taea, we won't be able to help them if we stand around here."   
  
"Aunt Meih..." Taea said quietly as he watched her take off in the direction that the locator stone pointed out. Then when he snapped out of his stupor, Taea finally took off after her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We've brought more guests for you my lord." the spider demon said as he and the others came in with the Ronins still cocooned on their backs.   
  
"Well done, bring them over here, and let them see their friends." Dark Lighter replied as he motioned for them to come over to where he and his priestess were standing. The spider demons quickly carried the Ronins over, and then roughly threw them down. "Easy, easy, now before you leave, sit them up so they can get a good look when they wake." They gave a slight hiss, and then did as they were ordered, once the Ronins were upright, the spider demons left.   
  
"Mmmm...I can sense magic in them." the demon priestess said as she circled each one of them.  
  
"Now Nara, we've already taken the magic that we needed at the moment, we don't need to go and get greedy." the demon lord replied with a wicked grin.  
  
"Awww, you just had to ruin all of my fun." Nara said in a fake winy tone.  
  
The demon lord just laughed and then with a snap of his fingers, each of the Ronins woke up. "Where..?" Ryo stared to ask as he and the others were trying to shake the haziness away.  
  
"You were going to ask where are you? I'll tell you, but I can guarantee that you won't like the answer." Dark Lighter replied with an evil smirk.   
  
"You! You're the demon lord that took our friends!" Cye exclaimed angrily as he glared at him.  
  
"Good, the spider demons' venom didn't damage your brains too much. You remember who I am just fine." Dark Lighter replied with a laugh.  
  
"Where are they?! Where are our friend!?" Rowen shouted at him.  
  
"Why they're right here. Nara, if you would?" the demon lord asked as he looked over towards her.   
  
"Of course my lord." Nara replied as she looked up and slowly made Kento's and Kaye's forms float down in front of them.   
  
"What...What have you done!?" Ryo asked angrily as they couldn't stop staring at their unconscious forms.   
  
"What do you think? We've stripped them of their magic." the demon lord replied with an evil smirk.  
  
"Their magic? You don't mean?" Cye asked in shock.  
  
"No, I don't mean their armor magic, even though that would be very gratifying, but it's not time for that just yet, I mean the magic from the Rei Faun family line." Dark Lighter replied with a dangerous glint in his eyes.  
  
As Dark Lighter, Nara and the Ronins were totally engrossed in their own matters, they didn't notice that two more entered the room. "Aunt Meih..." Taea said as he motioned down towards them.  
  
"I know Taea, I see them. I was hoping that I was wrong about this." Meih replied with a frown. "Well, we'd better get them out of here and fast, the more time we waste, the less time that..."   
  
"You two aren't going anywhere but to our lord, trespassers!" a leopard demon said as he brought his claws up and... 


	10. ch 10

Destiny's Magic  
  
Ch 10  
  
"Now you weren't thinking of spilling mortal blood on your lord's big day, were you?" a voice asked as the thing that was behind the three grabbed onto the leopard demon's wrist.   
  
The leopard demon growled, "who dares...You!" Eyes go wide as he realized who had a hold on him.  
  
"That's right, me." the one behind them replied as he let go. "Now, I'd suggest that you leave, and don't mention to anyone of what just happened. Especially if you want to keep your sorry excuse for a soul" The leopard demon waited a while longer, and then growled as he left.  
  
"Oni, what are you doing here?" Meih asked as she and Taea watched him warily. A white faced demon with two small golden horns on top of head, black eyes, mouth open always, two upper fangs sticking out, as well as two lower ones. The face is mainly a mask, lucky for those who don't see his true face, because if they did their souls would be stolen, and their bodies would turn to dust within a blink of an eye.   
  
Oni ignored her and walked over to the opening looking over the scene. Taea grew angry, "hey! Aunt Meih asked you a question!"   
  
"Meih, I would suggest to the boy that he keep his distance from me, as well as to keep his voice down, unless of course you want to draw unwanted attention to us." Oni replied as the demon glanced back.  
  
"Boy?! Why you sorry excuse for a demon." Taea growled as he started to approach him.  
  
"Taea stop, there's no need for you to cause any unnecessary attention." Meih said as she stopped him by grabbing onto his shoulder and pulling him back.  
  
"Aunt Meih, you're going to side with this...This demon?!" Taea asked in disbelief.  
  
"Taea, shut up!" Meih replied as anger flared in her eyes. Taea was taken back by how she just talked to him, while Oni just snickered at his reaction. "To risk   
  
sounding like a broken record, Oni, again, why are you here?"  
  
"I heard that the demon lord and his priestess have taken the two Rei Fauns that he needed, and stripped them of their magic. So I'd thought that I'd come and help you to get them back." Oni replied as he kept a watch over them. "I also see that he has captured the other Ronin Warriors as well."  
  
"How, how did you know?" Taea asked in astonishment.  
  
"Word gets around fast in the demon underworld." Oni replied nonchalantly.  
  
Meih's eyes blazed angrily, "we don't need your help, we can manage just fine without you!"   
  
A laugh escaped Oni's throat, "by the look of things, I'd say that you do."   
  
"If the stories are true about you being just as powerful as the demon lord, then why don't you just fight him head to head instead of hiding here?" Taea asked as he went over to him.  
  
Oni pulled back inside, turned around and faced Taea, "listen boy, it's true that I'm just as powerful as the demon lord, but I'm not stupid. I strategize, see where the strengths and weaknesses are, then when the time is right, I exploit those weaknesses and destroy whoever I'm fighting, without mercy." Taea pulled back as Oni said the last part of his statement. "Besides, I have an old debt to repay. But once the debt is repaid, we are no longer allies" Oni looked over towards Meih as he said that.   
  
"Agreed." Meih replied with a nod of her head.  
  
"Now, instead of bickering like children, let's think of a way to get your friends and family out of here in one piece." Oni, Meih and Taea all looked out from where there were and waited for their opportunity.  
  
The other Ronins looked upon their friends with grief stricken hearts. Kento and Kaye hung limply before them, their complexion so pale that they looked like death warmed over. The only way that they could tell that they were still somewhat alive, was by their shallow breathing. "You'll pay for this, we'll hit you with everything that we have, and then when you think that we've hit bottom, we'll keep coming at you again and again, until not even a speck of dust is left from your demon being." Ryo threatened as his eyes flamed.   
  
Dark Lighter laughed, "what's so funny!?" Cye spat out angrily as he glared at him.  
  
"You mortals are so amusing. You actually believe that you'll be able to destroy me, me the lord of demons." Dark Lighter replied as he was still laughing.  
  
"You're nothing special, we've defeated many demons before, we even beat Talpa on many occasions." Rowen said as a growl escaped his throat.  
  
"Granted, Talpa was powerful, but he didn't hold a candle towards lord Dark Lighter." Nara replied with a wicked smile.  
  
"Don't underestimate us lady." Sage said as he glared at Nara.  
  
"Truer words couldn't have been spoken, Ronin, but maybe it's you that shouldn't underestimate us." Nara replied with a scoff. While they were talking, Kento and Kaye started to slowly open their eyes, but then they were closed again.  
  
"Aww, so close, but yet so far. Oh well." the demon lord said in amusement as he glanced back at them.   
  
"You've got what you wanted, so why don't you just let us all go!?" Ryo asked angrily as he and the others were still trying to break free of their web cocoon.   
  
"Unfortunately, that's not an option at this point and time. You see, we're not done with them just yet." the demon lord replied with a grin. "But you four on the other hand, well, you'll be freed, but not by the way you think." They gasped when they saw that Nara and the demon lord aura's started to glow, and each one held a sickle, the one that looked like the grim reaper carries. "Say goodbye to this world Ronin Warriors."  
  
"That's our cue I believe" Oni said as he started down towards the area.   
  
"Taea, let's go!" Meih called back as she started down as well.  
  
"Coming aunt Meih!" Taea replied as he too jumped down from ledge to ledge.   
  
Just when the demon lord and Nara were about to slice at their heads, "Dark Lighter, why don't you try and take on someone that's more worth your time instead of these second rate amateurs!" Oni said as he stood between the two and the Ronins.  
  
"Amateurs! Hey, who are you calling us..?" Sage started to ask angrily.  
  
"Shut up, you're already annoying me, and I've barely been here for thirty seconds." Oni replied in slight annoyance as he kept his gaze on the demon lord and Nara.   
  
"What!?" Sage asked heatedly as his eyes blazed.  
  
"Oni, what brings you here? It couldn't be due to the fact of the ceremony, could it?" Dark Lighter asked with interest, as he and Nara put down their weapons.  
  
"Not what you demon spawn, but who!" Taea replied angrily as he and Meih appeared close to the Ronins ready to fight.  
  
"Meih, impressive, you and the brat seemed to survive from the last encounter." Dark Lighter said with slight amusement.  
  
"Of course we would, we're Rei Fauns, we don't go down that easy." Meih replied with a smirk. "Now, I'd suggest that you release my family, and their friends before we have to get rough."  
  
"Yeah, I'm more than ready for a rematch anytime, any day. Come on, bring it if you got it!" Taea challenged with a glint of mischief in his eyes.   
  
"Now I know where Kento gets it from." Cye said in amazement as he and the others were watching for their opportunity.  
  
'I heard that Cye.' Kento replied through his link he has with the others.  
  
Cye's eyes went wide in surprise. Rowen glanced over at him, "Cye?"  
  
Before Cye could reply, Oni swiped at their webbing and set them free. "Alright, now it's time for some major payback!" Ryo said as his eyes burned with anger.   
  
"Ryo, no." Meih replied as she glanced back at them.   
  
"But Meih..." Sage started to say as he and the others looked towards her in disbelief.   
  
"You four concentrate on getting my family down from there. Taea and I will cover you." Meih replied as she cut him off. They knew better to argue with her just by   
  
the look that she gave them. It was the same kind of look that Kento always gave when he'd made up his mind about something and wouldn't let go of it.   
  
"Don't forget Meih, I'm here too." Oni said as he got ready to fight.   
  
"How can we, you won't let us." Taea replied in a scoff as he pulled out a parchment and a talisman. "Shield!" A shield with a wing on it appeared between the Ronins and the other demons that were in close proximity of the action, preventing anyone or anything to come through.   
  
Oni glanced over at Taea and gave a chuckle, "impressive, the boy actually does know what he's doing after all." Taea growled at Oni's remark, the one thing that absolutely drove Taea crazy was the fact that people just keep calling him boy.   
  
"Now, to get those two down." Ryo said as he looked up towards them. Ryo glanced over at Sage, he nodded and followed Ryo's lead as they both leaped up and cut them down. "What?"  
  
"Ryo, what is it?" Sage asked as he held onto Kaye on the way down.   
  
"It's Kento..." Ryo replied as he landed with Kento's form slumped over.  
  
"Ryo, what's wrong with Kento? Ryo!" Cye asked in alarm as he looked at him with fear showing in his eyes. 


	11. ch 11

Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 11  
  
While all of this was going on, a dimensional rift opened up in two places near the Hong Kong harbor. One was in the sky, and the other opened up underneath the water. From the rift that was in the sky, around the opening edges, was a ring of fire, and from the center of this rift flew out a very long and beautiful phoenix. The phoenix's eyes were crystal blue, while the body was mixed with multi-colors of reds, gold's and oranges. The phoenix hovered in the air like it was waiting for something. The rift that was in the sky finally closed as well, making it look like nothing happened.  
  
Then within a few minutes later, the water began to bubble, and steam rose to the sky as the water itself was changing colors. The bubbles began to increase in speed, especially in one particular area. Then suddenly, what should burst out but a dragon. The dragon's eyes were close to a pewter gray. Its body also has multi-colors, same as the phoenix. As soon as the dragon was air born, the water finally calmed back down to normal.   
  
The phoenix and the dragon were so happy to see each other again after centuries of separation. They flew higher and higher into the air, way above the clouds. As they were flying, the dragon and the phoenix weaved in and out of each other. When they finally reached way above the clouds, they started to descend quickly to the ground. As it looked like they were going to crash, they pulled up at the very last second, and hovered there for a while.   
  
During that time, the two of them started to glow. The light that was coming from them pulsed out to the max, and then it faded away, leaving in the place of the dragon and the phoenix, a man with the same color eyes as the dragon's. His clothes were the same colors as the dragon's skin. While the female brought on the eyes of the phoenix, and her clothes were the same as well.   
  
They turned and faced each other, smiled warmly as their eyes met. The man and the woman lightly put their hands together. A white light emitted from their hands, and formed a white pearl. This was by no means an ordinary pearl, it was the pearl of life, it's similar to the jewel of life, but it's also in the same aspect different. It held great power to the ones that wield it, the pearl was guided by the keepers' compassion, and wants as well as their wishes. But the pearl also stood for something else entirely, it also stood for the perfect union for the love of a man and a woman. When they parted, the pearl split in half, and shrunk into the size of two small talismans that were dawned upon the couple.   
  
"It's time." the man said as he looked over towards his wife.  
  
"I know, but isn't there any other way? I mean couldn't we just..?" the woman asked as she looked upon her husband with pleading eyes.  
  
"You know that there isn't any other way. It's been like this ever since time began, and it'll stay this way for eternity, you know this is true as much as I." the man replied sadly as he could feel his heart sink "Tradition demands it."  
  
"Damn tradition! I say we just use the pearl in a different way, then..." the woman replied as her eyes flared.  
  
"No! You know that we can't use the pearl like that! If we are to help and make sure that the mortal world and the netherworld don't merge, then we have to do it by tradition." the man replied as he tried to calm her down.   
  
The woman sighed as she finally did calm down. "I know, but it's just not right, they've all been through so much already. What says that this won't push them over the edge?"  
  
"They're strong, a lot stronger than either of us know, we just have to believe." the man replied as he reached out his hand towards hers. She reached out and took his hand, acknowledging and accepting that what he said was true.  
  
'No, they can't be here already, it's too soon!' Meih thought as she sensed the two new arrivals. 'They're not ready!' Taea and Oni were not the only ones saw that Meih was preoccupied.  
  
'I wonder, could Meih be sensing their arrival? It's too early for them to make an appearance, or are they here on a different matter?' Dark Lighter mused as he read Meih's reaction.   
  
"Ryo, damn it! Tell me what's wrong with Kento!" Cye demanded angrily.  
  
"See for yourself Cye." Ryo replied as he threw Kento towards him.  
  
Cye glared at him, "are you crazy?! Do you realize what you..?" Cye started to trail off in what he was saying as soon as he realized it. "Oh my God..."  
  
"Cye, what is it?" Rowen asked as he looked over towards him.  
  
"It's Kento. he's almost light as a feather." Cye replied as shock registered in his eyes.  
  
Rowen's eyes went wide, "Sage, what about Kaye, is she?"   
  
Sage looked down at her and a concern frown came upon his face. "She seems to be in some kind of catatonic state or something, it's hard for me to tell for sure."   
  
"Ryo, we have to get out of here." Rowen said as he looked over at him.  
  
"I know that Rowen, you don't have to tell me. Why don't you tell them instead? They're the ones that have the magic to teleport all of us out of here." Ryo replied as they all looked over towards Meih, Taea, and the demon Oni.   
  
"I hate to admit it, but the boy does have a point. Meih, take them and get out of here, I'll hold off the demon lord long enough for you to escape. But remember, this is the only time I'm being your ally, because after this, we're enemies once again." Oni said as he glanced over towards her.  
  
"Oni..." Meih started to say.  
  
"Don't argue with me, just do it!" Oni replied as he cut her off.  
  
"Taea, we need some cover." Meih said as she glanced over towards him.  
  
"Gotcha aunt Meih." Taea replied as he took out a talisman and a parchment that had on it a woman with pointed ears, eyes closed and arms folded in front of her.   
  
"Mist, give us cover to escape!" That's exactly what happened, a haze started to encase itself around its master and the others providing cover, so that Meih could   
  
have enough time to get another talisman and parchment that has a woman jumping through a black hole. This entity was known as Through, it allows the user to pass through any solid object.   
  
"Hang on to each other and stay close!" Meih yelled back towards the Ronins as Through was creating the black hole.   
  
"Meih, what!?" Cye started to ask as they were close enough to her.  
  
"No time for questions Cye, now look, do you want out of here or not? Because the longer we stay here, the shorter the time we have to save my family." Meih replied as her eyes burned with determination. Cye looked at Kento's unconscious form that he was holding, a frown came upon his face, he then shook his head no.   
  
"Good, now come on, Through's black hole is only open for a short amount of time. Besides, Mist's haze is starting to lift, and when that does, we'll be exposed before we can even get close to getting out of here."   
  
"Come on, what are we waiting for?" Taea asked as he noticed that no one moved towards the black hole yet.  
  
"We're coming Taea." Meih replied as she turned and headed for him. Cye glanced back at the others, they had the same look in their eyes as he did, even though they all wanted a piece of the demon lord and his priestess, they had more important business to take care of. Besides, he knew that they'll get theirs soon enough.   
  
"What took ya?" Taea asked in slight annoyance as he and Meih were waiting for them.  
  
"Sorry Taea, we're ready to get out of here." Rowen replied apologetically.  
  
"So then let's go!" Taea said as he ushered them through the black hole. As soon as the last one was out he called Mist to return and then he went through.   
  
As soon as the haze was gone, Dark Lighter and the demon priestess looked around, their eyes narrowed in anger, and the demon lord howled. Oni stood there laughing at them. "What's the matter? Did the all powerful demon lord lose something?" Oni taunted with amusement.   
  
"I would suggest that you shut up Oni if you know what's good for you!" Nara growled as she glared at him.  
  
"You know, I'd love to stay and chat, but I have something else that's more important to take care of, if you'll excuse me." Oni replied as he bowed mockingly and then vanished in a trail of smoke.   
  
"Guards!" Nara barked as she called for them.  
  
"Let him go Nara." Dark Lighter replied as he waved them off.  
  
"But my lord, you can't be serious?!" Nara asked as she looked towards him in disbelief.  
  
"Nara, I sincerely hope that you're not questioning me." the demon lord replied as he turned and faced her.  
  
Nara shook her head, "no my lord, I'd never..."  
  
"Good, see to it that you don't or otherwise, you'll have a worse fate than what I did to the lowlife demon that I'd disintegrated." Dark Lighter replied with a glint of danger in his eyes.  
  
Back at Meih's and Taea's hidden home...  
  
"Quickly, lay them down on the tables, hurry!" Meih said as she was gathering her charms for some kind of ceremony. They did what they were told, and watched as well as wondered what Meih was going to do to save them.   
  
Taea saw what Meih was gathering, it was then he'd became very angry, and grabbed her arm. "Aunt Meih, you can't be serious! You're not..!"   
  
Meih glared at him, "I'm very serious Taea, this is the only way to save them. Now, I'd suggest that you'd let go of my arm." Taea held on for a few seconds longer and then he finally let go, and Meih went back to work.  
  
"Taea, what's going on? What is Meih trying to do?" Ryo asked in a curious manner.  
  
"She's going to do what's called a mystical transfusion." Taea replied in a tone that said he was totally against it.  
  
"A mystical transfusion?" Sage asked with a curious frown.  
  
"It's where someone that has lost a lot of magic, and another one from that same family line transfuses their magic to the one that lost it. But it's extremely life draining, very few Rei Fauns and Tsungs have barely survived it." Taea replied with a sadden tone.   
  
"Basically you're saying that she's putting her life on the line to save them." Rowen said as he pretty much summed up what Taea told them.  
  
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." Taea replied as he saw that Meih was between Kento and Kaye, holding their hands tightly and started chanting. Everyone watched with extreme intensity, as they waited and hoped that Meih would be able to pull it off, as well as for her to come out of this alive. Time slowly passed, minutes dragged on for what seemed to be hours, until finally the ceremony was complete. Meih let go of their hands, and started to slowly walk away from them.  
  
"Meih, are you alright?" Sage asked with concern, "you know that I can heal you, sit down and I'll..."   
  
"Thank you but no, I'm fine, just a little tired. I just need to rest and I'll be better in no time." Meih replied with a small smile.  
  
"Definitely a Rei Faun, no doubt about that." Sage said with a slight laugh.  
  
"What's that suppose to mean?!" Meih asked in a mock annoyance.  
  
"I didn't mean anything bad about it, I swear!" Sage replied as he realized that she was just teasing.   
  
"You two mind keeping it down, my head feels like it's splitting in half." Kento said as he was finally starting to come around.  
  
"Kento! You're alright!" Cye replied happily as he in a way, tackled his best friend.  
  
"Cye, of course I'm alright, but thanks for the concern anyway." Kento replied with a tired grin. "Where's Kaye, is she?"  
  
"I'm right here Kento, tired but fine." Kaye replied as she now was coming around. Meih smiled at the couple she knew now that everything will be alright.   
  
As they were doing their reunion, Meih stepped outside, Taea followed, "Taea..."  
  
Taea was a little taken back, but then realized that he shouldn't really be surprised about her knowing that he was always there. "How are you feeling?"  
  
Meih took a deep breath, as she leaned back and gazed upon the night sky. "Taea, you know the ceremony that I performed took away most of my life energy, correct?"   
  
"Aunt Meih, please, don't talk like this...You'll pull out of it, I know you will." Taea replied in a somewhat of a pleading voice.  
  
"Taea, you know as much as I that my time here is over. It's time for me to move on, and let the new generation take over." Meih said quietly.  
  
"No aunt Meih, please don't..." Taea pleaded again. His voice became loud enough that it brought all of them outside.  
  
"Hey what's going on out here?" Rowen asked in confusion as he and the others looked over towards them.  
  
"It's aunt Meih, she's..." Taea replied as tears started to get ready to fall.  
  
"Aunt Meih, what's he talking about?!" Kento asked as he got in front of her.  
  
"I'm dying Kento." Meih replied quietly as her eyes started to slowly close.  
  
"No! You can't!" Kento objected as he couldn't believe his ears.  
  
"I'm sorry Kento, but it's my time. I knew this for a long time now, but tonight's activities proved it to me. Now it's your and Kaye's turn to carry on where I left off." Meih replied with a warm smile.  
  
"No! Aunt Meih! No!" Kento said as tears were now evident in his eyes.   
  
"You and Kaye will do me and the other Rei Fauns proud my nephew, I know you will. I have faith in you, I always have, and I always will. I'm with you both...Goodbye." Meih replied as she vanished like the morning mist. 


	12. ch 12

Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 12  
  
On a ledge overlooking the scene that was unfolding before him. Hikaru smirked, "It's about time, I was wondering when she was going to finally leave this world. I wasn't expecting her to go that way. The nerve she had to transfer her magic to the two of them, instead of my nephew. There's nothing that can be done about it now. What's done is done, I suppose, now to move on to the next part of my plans.'   
  
Below...  
  
"It's your fault, both of you! Aunt Meih would still be alive if it wasn't for the two of you!" Taea growled angrily, as his eyes flared while looking directly at Kento and Kaye.   
  
Right then Ryo got really mad and got between them. "Taea, how dare you say that! Meih did it out of her own choice! You dare put her memory to shame when you blame them!"   
  
Taea shoved Ryo back, "it wasn't suppose to happen this way! I was suppose to get her powers! Me! Not them!"  
  
"Taea, you're only saying those things out of grief, there's no need..." Rowen started to say.  
  
"You're wrong Ronin. The plan was to make sure that Meih transferred her powers to me! Everything was set up perfectly, until all of you came into the picture!" Taea replied as his anger increased. As his anger started to rise, so did his power level, it didn't only increase, but it also started to change.  
  
Kento growled, "you want these so called powers, then here you can have them!"  
  
Taea laughed as he glared at Kento, "you fool! It doesn't work that way! You just can't give your powers to someone else just like that! Especially since we're enemies!"  
  
"What!?" Kento asked in confusion as he jerked his head towards Taea.  
  
"Kento, what is it?" Sage asked as he started to frown.  
  
"You're not a real Rei Faun are you? You're a Tsungs!" Kento growled in accusation.   
  
"You've just been hiding it all this time! A Tsungs hiding himself behind the Rei Faun family name! You have no concept of honor...You coward!" Kaye shouted at him angrily as she tackled him to the ground. After the two of them wrestled around for a while, an arrow made out of pure fire came within a few inches of piercing both of them.  
  
"What the!?" Sage asked as he and the others looked over at it.  
  
"Now that I have your attention, I'd suggest that you'd let my nephew go. Unless of course, you want to know what it feels like to be burned alive, starting from the inside?" Hikaru asked skeptically. Kaye shook her head, and then started to get off of him.  
  
"You know, I'd have a lot more fun with what we've just done, but maybe under other circumstances." Taea grinned as eh got up and joined his uncle.   
  
"You sick, twisted son of a..." Kaye started to say as Kento was right there beside her.  
  
"Now tigress, it wouldn't be very lady like if you finished what you were going to say, now would it?" Hikaru asked with amusement.  
  
"Look, if you're here to fight, then we're ready!" Ryo replied as he and the others got into their fighting positions.   
  
"As much as I would love to, but unfortunately, we have to get going. We have some other things to take care of, it's time to go Taea." Hikaru replied with a laugh as he vanished.   
  
Taea looked at them in disgust. "How Meih chose the two of you to carry on where she left off is very pathetic. I shudder to think that the last hope of the Rei Faun family rests with the two of you."  
  
"Why you little..." Kento started to say as he had more than enough, he lunged for Taea, but just barely missed him as he vanished as well. Kento balled his hands into tight fists, his body shaking with rage, his aura enveloped around him, changing along with his emotions. A shockwave pulsated from him, making the ground shake, and the surrounding trees break into kindle.  
  
"Kento, calm down, please." Kaye pleaded as she went to try and calm him. Kento's eyes changed, no pupils were shown, they were almost not human. "Ken...Kento?"   
  
"What!" Kento growled as his voice started to change a bit, and then when he saw their shocked reaction, he went back to normal. "Kaye, guys...I"   
  
"Kento, what's going on? What just happened here?" Cye asked as he finally found the words.  
  
"It's happening, I told you that it would...I told you!" Kento shot back.  
  
"What are you talking about? You don't actually believe that you're turning?" Sage asked in disbelief as he shook his head.  
  
"I...I don't know, I don't know what to believe. All I know is that aunt Meih is gone, Taea betrayed the Rei Faun family name, and that Kaye and I have these new powers that she gave us. We have no idea of how to use them, no idea how long they'll be with us...Why aunt Meih, why did you choose us!? You knew that I turned my back on my heritage, so then why...Huh, why!?" Kento yelled up into the sky.  
  
Cye had more than enough of Kento's attitude lately, as so with the others. "Kento knock it off! Get a hold of yourself right now!" Cye's eyes blazed with a different look to them as he punched him across the face.   
  
"Cye, what?!" Kento asked in complete confusion as he brought his hand up to where Cye hit him.   
  
"You should be accepting this not denouncing it, because if you do that, you're telling us and them that you're no longer a Rei Faun, and I'm not going to allow that to happen, even if I have to beat it into you." Cye replied as his eyes showed that he meant every word.   
  
Cye's words echoed through Kento's mind as he finally calmed down. "Cye, you're right, I've been acting crazy, I'm sorry, forgive me."  
  
"Well, I don't know, you've been acting like a complete baka lately." Cye teased as he winked back at the others.   
  
"Wha..?" Kento asked in astonishment. He couldn't believe it, Cye, his best friend was doing this to him. Kento finally snapped out of it when he saw that they were trying very hard not to laugh. He grinned as he patted Cye on the shoulder. "Thanks Cye."  
  
"Anytime Kento." Cye replied as he grinned back.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Hmmm." Dark Lighter mused as he sensed something.  
  
"My lord?" Nara asked as she looked towards him with an interested glance.  
  
"It seems that Meih has finally left this world." the demon lord replied as he walked over to the banister.  
  
"Why would that be of any concern to you?" Nara asked as she walked over to him.  
  
"Because it seems my dear priestess that she transferred all of her powers to the two that we took them from in the first place." Dark Lighter replied as his eyes gave an angry glint to them.  
  
Nara felt outraged, "then you're telling me that the ceremony and everything else was just a waste of our time?!"   
  
The demon lord turned around and faced her with an evil smirk. "No, I wouldn't say a complete waste of time. Our powers got a pretty good boost of energy from the transfer, it'll be easier to track them later. Besides, they won't know how to use the powers that they've received without the proper training, and the one that can help them with that, is well, dead."  
  
"You're planning something, aren't you?" Nara asked as she saw the glint of mischief in his eyes.   
  
"Now Nara, what would make you say something like that?" Dark Lighter asked back as he cackled, making whoever heard him have shivers run along their spines. 


	13. ch 13

Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 13  
  
"Taea Tsungs, how could you allowed this to happen!" Hikaru yelled outraged as he grabbed onto any potion that was in reach and threw it into the fire. The flames shot straight up, and flickered violently as they quickly shifted in colors, and finally went back to normal.  
  
"I'm sorry uncle Hikaru, you're right. Everything was set up perfectly, until the Ronins and Oni came around." Taea growled in annoyance. "Granted, the Ronins were captured, by orders of Dark Lighter, but that demon Oni, he just had to show up with his high and mighty attitude."  
  
"Hold on Taea..." Hikaru replied as he was musing over what he just said.  
  
"Yes uncle?" Taea asked as he felt very nervous.  
  
"Did you just say that Oni showed up?" Hikaru asked back as he looked at him curiously. Taea just nodded in response for fear of if he said anything, it would increase his anger more. "I see, and did Oni say why he was there?"   
  
"He basically said he was there to help Meih, so the debt that he owed her would have been paid off. Favor for a favor is what I guess he meant, but he said something else that seemed, odd to me." Taea replied with a frown.  
  
"Oh, and what was that?" Hikaru asked as his temper changed.  
  
"He said something to the effect of once the debt is repaid that they're enemies again." Taea replied as he was slightly confused.   
  
"Thank you nephew, you may leave now." Hikaru said as he dismissed him.  
  
"But uncle, I thought that we were going to discuss the next part of the plan?" Taea asked as he was about to step closer.  
  
"Taea, leave now before I change my mind about punishing you for your failure!" Hikaru replied as he kept his back turned to him.  
  
"Of course uncle." Taea said as he vanished from the room.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Loud bells that were strung about the Rei Faun property clanged. Alarming whoever was there that a demon was nearby. "What is that noise?" Rowen asked as the loud clanging snapped everyone out of their thoughts.  
  
"We better go and check it out." Ryo replied as he got up and lead the others outside.   
  
"It seems the loudest is over here!" Sage yelled to them. They all ran over to his location.  
  
"I don't get it. Something must have been here, otherwise those things wouldn't have gone off without a reason." Cye replied as he thought it over.  
  
Kento and Kaye jerked a little as they sensed something. "No Cye, whatever set them off is still here. Alright, whoever or whatever you are show yourself." Kaye called out as she and Kento were facing the direction that the demon was hiding.  
  
"I'm impressed, ordinary humans wouldn't have been able to sense my kind, but then again you're not ordinary humans." Oni replied as he came into view.  
  
"It's you! You're the one I saw when I was a kid, and you're also the one that's been haunting my nightmares!" Kento accused in an angry tone. "Just who or what are you, and why are you here?!"  
  
"I'm a demon, my name is Oni. Yes I do remember you Kento Rei Faun. I also know you're the current bearer of the armor of Hardrock. You my lovely, are Kaye, Kento's wife, and bearer of the Tiger armor. These four are your friends, Ryo Sanada of Wildfire, Rowen Hashiba of Strata, Cye Mouri of Torrent, and Sage   
  
Date of Halo." Oni point out in his own cocky way.  
  
"How...How did you know all of that?!" Cye asked in shock.  
  
"I told you, I'm a demon, and there's a lot of things that I know." Oni explained as he sat down on a bolder.  
  
"Since you're a demon, then why did you help Meih to get our friends out of there?" Rowen asked suspiciously.  
  
"Call it either one of two things, either professional courtesy, or repaying an old debt, it doesn't really matter to me." Oni replied in a playful manner.  
  
"An old debt? What do you mean? I thought that slayers and demons are enemies?" Kaye asked.  
  
"You're not wrong in what you say, slayers and demons are enemies. But the only reason we weren't for that period of time, was because in a way, she saved my life." Oni replied as he saw the disbelief in their expressions.  
  
"Aunt Meih wouldn't save a life of a demon!" Kento exclaimed angrily.  
  
"She did, isn't it proof enough for you that I'm sitting here plain as day on this bolder?" Oni asked as he looked directly at Kento.  
  
"You still didn't answer the question of why you're here." Sage replied as the look of mistrust gleamed in his eye.  
  
"The demon world knows that Meih Rei Faun left this world tonight. I'm just here to pay my respects to her from one warrior to another." Oni explained as he got up and jumped from the bolder. "Will you allow me to do at least that much, since I did help you escape." They could tell that Kento was majorly against this idea from the start, but he did know that Oni did have a point, he did help them escape from Dark Lighter.  
  
"Fine, but you can give your respects to her right where you are. I'm not going to let you step in here under any circumstances." Kento warned as he kept his eyes on him.  
  
"Fair enough, it won't take me long." Oni replied as he closed his eyes and paid his respects. "I'm done, so I'll be leaving now."   
  
"Oni, before you go there's one more thing that I should tell you." Kento said as he kept his gaze.   
  
"What could that possibly be Rei Faun?" Oni asked as gave him a quick nod.  
  
"Don't ever come back. If you do, I'll make you wish that you didn't." Kento warned as his eyes glowed. Oni saw this, but he gave no indication of it phasing him. Oni gave no indication of a yes or no answer, he just vanished. When he was finally gone, the clanging stopped, and they saw that Kento was rubbing his eyes.  
  
"Kento, are you alright?" Kaye asked in concern as she walked in front of him.  
  
"Yeah, I'm alright, I think that I'm just tired." Kento replied with a tired smile, as he put his hands onto her shoulders.   
  
"Actually, Kento has a good idea for once." Rowen replied teasingly.  
  
"Hey!" Kento said in mock hurt.   
  
"I'm kidding Kento, but we should at least try to get some sleep. Because I think that we're going to need it for what's to come." Rowen replied in a serious tone. Everyone nodded in agreement, and then one by one they went back to the house.   
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Elsewhere...  
  
"What could be taking that demon so long?" Taea grumbled as he saw how late it was.   
  
"That's the problem with you younger slayers, always impatient." a voice replied out of nowhere.  
  
"This is no time to be playing games. If you don't come out here, then I'm leaving." Taea threatened as he started to walk out.  
  
"Alright, alright, sheesh, keep your shirt on I'm coming." the voice replied as a demon stepped out of the shadows.  
  
"Oni, what took you?" Taea asked in slight annoyance.  
  
"Look I don't take orders from you, last time I checked we work together as partners." Oni replied as the demon crossed his arms.  
  
"Alright, I get your point we did agree to work as partners. So, how did it go over at the Rei Faun's place?" Taea asked as he decided to switch the subject.  
  
"They're reacting exactly like we thought they would. And if I maybe so bold, I'd say that my performance was particularly believable." Oni replied in a slight bragging way.   
  
"Yeah, yeah, fine, just as long as you were able to fool them to thinking what we wanted them to think." Taea said as leaned back against the wall.   
  
"Don't worry Taea, I've done my part, but what about you? Did Hikaru believe your performance?" Oni asked in a challenging tone.  
  
"I have my uncle eating out of the palm of my hand. He won't know what hit him until it's too late." Taea replied with a smirk as he crossed his arms.   
  
"I heard that the demon lord and his priestess are going to search again for the two Rei Fauns that he'd captured before." Oni said as he switched subjects.  
  
"When?" Taea asked as he glances over at him.  
  
"Soon that's all I know for sure. I only heard that small part before I was spotted in that region again." Oni replied as he leaned back and looked at his hand.  
  
"Do I detect that the all powerful Oni is afraid of Dark Lighter and Nara?" Taea taunted with a smirk.  
  
Oni quickly stood up and grabbed Taea by the collar. "I don't fear anyone! I'm one of the most powerful demons that the world has ever seen! Humans and demons alike tremble at even the sound of my name! So don't tell me about fear, because my dear boy, I am the very definition of fear!" Oni replied as his eyes glowed. "In fact, I think that I'll even give you a small demonstration." Oni's eyes continued to glow as he produced images of Taea's most dreaded fears over and over again in his head.   
  
"Alright, alright stop! Stop! I believe you, just make it stop!" Taea pleaded in his screaming.  
  
Oni growled, "fine, pathetic human." Oni's eyes stopped glowing and then he threw Taea across the room in disgust. Taea slid across the floor and then he came upon a sudden stop against the wall. Taea glared at Oni and then vanished from sight. "This is all too easy, the demon lord and his priestess are hunting down the two Rei Fauns that escaped from them. Hikaru Tsungs is planning his revenge along with his nephew, but doesn't realize that Taea Tsungs has plans of his own, but what's the real fun is that no one but me knows what's going to be the real show. They won't realize that they're only a small part to the much larger picture until it's too late!" 


	14. ch 14

Destiny's Magic  
  
Ch 14  
  
The steady sound of tic tock resonated through the Tsungs main room, and then suddenly, chimes clanged as it finally struck midnight. "It's time." Hikaru said as a woman that was wearing a long cape, her hands were coming together, which signified that she was about to start. Hikaru grinned like a cheshire cat, as his plan for revenge and getting the armor of Hardrock began.   
  
Laying there, Kaye watched her husband sleep. 'I know how much that you didn't want this, but I hope you realize that you're not alone. Your friends, me, we're all here, we're going to help you through this. We've been through so much not to give up now. I wish there was a way that you could hear what I'm saying, but you need to rest. I'll be right back, sleep well, Kento.' Kaye leaned in and gave him a small kiss on his cheek, and then carefully slid out of bed so she wouldn't wake him, and started to go down stairs. Kento gave a small grin as he shifted a little more comfortably in the bed, as he drifted further into dreamland.  
  
In Kento's dream...  
  
"Whoa, what in the world!?" Kento asked in bewilderment as he blinked in confusion. What Kento saw was an orange aura similar to his own when he wears his armor of Hardrock, but for some reason it seemed different. Then beside it was a silver aura that was similar to Kaye's tiger armor, but it was in a way different as well. It was like they were both alive somehow. Both of the auras started to take shape, but then they sensed that Kento was there, and stopped in mid process. "Hey, who or what are you? What do you want?" No answer came from either of them. "Hey, I asked you..." Before he could approach them, they disappeared.   
  
"Typical, just typical." Kento grumbled as he crossed his arms. Then for some reason, his scenery started to change around him. Kento started to stumble around, and then the ground from underneath vanished and he started to fall. 'Oh man! What's going on? Someone, anyone?'   
  
"What's the matter Rei Faun, you don't like being in the dark?" a familiar voice asked as his laugh echoed in the air.  
  
"Hikaru! Show yourself, you coward!" Kento yelled out angrily.   
  
"If you wish." Hikaru replied as he appeared falling right along side of him.   
  
"You're doing this, you're making us fall, so then why don't you make it stop?!" Kento accused as he glared at him angrily.  
  
"It's your dream Rei Faun, so why don't you try and make us stop?" Hikaru challenged with an evil grin.  
  
"Alright, I will." Kento shot back, as he tried to make them stop, his eyes went wide in realization to the fact that they're still falling. "Why are we still falling? It's my dream, so then I'd be able to make us stop! So, then why can't I?"   
  
Hikaru just laughed. "Don't you get it Rei Faun? It may be your dream, but you no longer have control of it, I do."   
  
"No, how is that possible?" Kento asked in disbelief.   
  
Hikaru laughed again, "it's a magic thing that I'd like to call Dream." the same magical entity that was standing in the Tsungs main room showed itself to Kento.  
  
His eyes narrowed as he looked back at Hikaru. "Then make us stop falling!" Kento demanded.   
  
"Or what? What can you do, you don't have any control here." Hikaru asked as his eyes gleamed with amusement.   
  
Outside of Kento's dream...  
  
Down stairs Kaye was looking over some of Meih's magical items, she was about to pick one up, when at that precise moment, Kaye sensed a Tsungs. "Hikaru.." Kaye said in realization as she recognized his power signature, as she rushed up the stairs towards their room. Just as she got there, the door sealed itself shut, locking her out. "Kento..Open up, Kento!"   
  
"Kaye, what is it?!" Ryo asked as her banging on their door woke them up.  
  
"Kento's in trouble! I can't get in, the door somehow sealed itself shut. I sensed Hikaru in there with him." Kaye replied as she glanced over towards him. "Kento!"   
  
"Kaye, move!" Ryo said as he quickly called upon his sub armor. Kaye nodded and moved over towards Cye as Ryo rammed down the door. When they rushed inside, Hikaru wasn't anywhere to be seen.   
  
"Are you sure that you sensed Hikaru? I don't see him anywhere." Rowen asked as he and the others looked around.  
  
"He's here I tell you, I doubt that door would seal itself off!" Kaye shot back, just then Kento's body started to violently jerk around in the bed. "I told you!"   
  
"Wait! Hang on, Kento might hurt you if you get too close to him when he's jerking around like that." Sage said as he stopped her from going to him.  
  
"No Sage, Kento wouldn't hurt me, he wouldn't!" Kaye argued back as she jerked out of his hold.  
  
"Sorry Kaye, but there has to be another way to help him without taking the chance of someone getting hurt." Cye replied in a concerned tone.  
  
"Wait a minute, you're right Cye, there is another way." Kaye agreed as it finally hit her.  
  
"Alright, you're going to let us in on it, or just let us keep playing twenty questions?" Rowen asked in curiosity.  
  
"All of what's happening, is in Kento's head right." Kaye explained as she looked over towards him.  
  
Sage frowned, but he knew what she was getting at, "you're talking about dream walking, aren't you?" Kaye nodded to indicate that he was right. "Are you sure that you're up to it? I mean, it's been a long time since you have done that you know."  
  
"Yeah I know that Sage, but it's the only option that we have at the moment, unless if you have any other ideas?" Kaye asked as she looked around the room at them.   
  
She could see that they didn't by the look on their faces. Kaye looked around real quick for a chair or something to sit on, she found one, put it as close to the bed as she could without being too far from him, or too close in case his jerking around did make contact. She took a deep breath, "here goes nothing."   
  
Inside Kento's dream, Hikaru and Kento were still free falling. "This is beginning to bore me, I think that a change in scenery is in order." Hikaru said as a rippling effect started to happen.   
  
Kaye entered Kento's dream state just mere seconds before they were going to crash onto the ground. "Kento!"   
  
His eyes went wide when he heard his name. "Kaye, get out of here! AH!" Kento yelled out as he hit the ground hard, laying limply on the ground.   
  
"No!" Kaye exclaimed as she started to rush over towards them.   
  
Hikaru stood up and turned around to see her coming, he looked towards her in curiosity. "How did you get here? Dream prevents anyone from entering Rei Faun's dream state."  
  
"I guess that you didn't take into account that I'm a dream walker." Kaye shot back as she glared at him while she got into fighting position.   
  
'A dream walker, damn, I thought that they didn't exist any more. Oh well, it doesn't matter, I still have control over Rei Faun's dream.' Hikaru mused as parts of the scenery started to change.   
  
"What are you up to, Hikaru?" Kaye asked as she took a quick look around and saw the transformations take place.   
  
"You may be a dream walker, but my magic is much stronger than yours will ever be." Hikaru replied as his body started to morph. His whole body started to transform into one giant snake. Each of his arms separated into two more snake heads, as a few more of them grew out from his neck. He was still walking on two legs, but his skin was definitely reptilian. When his eyes gleamed, the rock scenery that was behind Kaye started to take form of a huge snake's head, getting ready to strike from above. She looked back and just as the head was going to come down on her, she barely dove out of the way. The head crumbled into rubble as it connected with the ground. Hikaru hissed at her as she carefully got up, a long scratch appeared on her arm. Kaye looked behind Hikaru, she was very concerned about Kento, he hasn't moved since he hit the ground. "What's the matter, having trouble seeing, or are you more concerned about your husband's condition?"   
  
'He's right, my vision's getting blurry. It must have been from that stupid anaconda, but I can't worry about that now, I have to help Kento.' Kaye thought as she frowned deeply.  
  
"Well, are you going to come and get your husband, or do I have to bring him to you?" Hikaru taunted as one of his two tails wrapped itself around Kento's midsection, lifted him up from the ground and started to squeeze as he swung him between them. Kento yelled out in pain as Hikaru squeezed tighter.   
  
"Stop it! You're killing him!" Kaye yelled over towards him.   
  
"That's the idea." Hikaru hissed as razor sharp spikes started to form along his tail starting from his body and flowing down all the way to the tip of his tail. "Well dream walker, what are you going to do?" 


	15. ch 15

Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 15  
  
'Pathetic uncle, this is how you intend to destroy Rei Faun and get his armor? By attacking him in his dreams. I guess that just shows how inferior you really are. Well, I suppose that I'd better step in, it's not time for him to die just yet, he's still needed.' Taea mused as he was looking over at the magical entity known as Dream.   
  
Taea reached into his pouch and pulled out a talisman and a parchment. He started to chant and then suddenly what should appear next to him is a a girl with long flowing hair, a black outfit and jester boots, named Shot.. "Just wait a little longer, I want uncle to have his fun for now, and then we strike." Taea cackled as he waited for the perfect opportunity.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
A silver tiger with golden stripes and eyes suddenly stood, and started to sniff around. The night air reeked of evil, Lightning looked towards the full moon and gave out a loud roar. The tiger leaped from cliff edge to cliff edge, descending the mountain until he came to where White Blaze was waiting for him. The Siberian tiger   
  
knew that something was wrong by the way Lighting was coming down the mountain. When Lightning finally made it down to White Blaze, he could tell that the other tiger sensed something was wrong. With a nod of his head, White Blaze told Lightning that he was ready, and with that the two tigers vanished from the mountain side.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
"What the..?" Cye asked in concern as he noticed that the scratch that Kaye got in Kento's dream. The others circled around to see what got Cye so concerned. Just before anything else could be said, the two tigers appeared.  
  
"White Blaze, Lightning? What are you doing?!" Ryo asked in surprise as the two tigers snarled at them, making the guys back away. They tried to advance towards them again, but the tigers this time snapped at them.   
  
"Ryo, what the heck is going on with them?!" Rowen asked as he looked over at Ryo for some kind of explanation.  
  
"How am I suppose to know?" Ryo asked back, "I'm just as confused as you are!"  
  
"He's your tiger!" Sage replied as they continued to back away.  
  
"He may be my tiger, but that doesn't mean I can read his mind!" Ryo shot back as he glared at him.  
  
"Guys, mind if we have this discussion later." Cye said as he tried to calm them down from a soon to be fight. While they were arguing, it gave Lightning enough time to go in front of Kaye and looked into her eyes. As he continued to looked deeper, he could see the situation that she and Kento are dealing with. He broke off the eye contact and walked over to the bewildered Ronins. "Lightning, what..."  
  
'I'm sorry, but there's no other way.' Lightning thought as his eyes glowed and somehow putting the guys in some kind of catatonic state. Lightning could see the concern in White Blazes eyes, the silver tiger's eyes showed White Blaze that there was nothing for him to worry about, and that they'll be alright. White Blaze nodded and then he and Lightning did the only thing that was left to do, they waited.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
In Kento's dream....  
  
"How, where..?" Sage asked in slight confusion as they were looking around.  
  
"It looks like Lightning somehow got us into Kento's dream." Rowen replied as he rationalized the situation.  
  
"How? I thought that..?" Sage asked still a little confused about this.  
  
"I know, but I don't think that now is the time to discuss it. We have to find them before it's too late." Ryo replied as he looked around to try and find them.   
  
"Ryo, they could be anywhere, how would we know where to even start looking?" Cye asked in concern.   
  
Just then, "NO!"  
  
"This way!" Ryo replied as he took the lead, the others quickly followed. They didn't have to go far, when they got there, they saw that Kento was trying to break out of Hikaru's snake transformation, while Kaye was trying to fend off some kind of snake demon. "Cye, Sage, go and help Kaye, Rowen come with me." Each of them nodded and went their separate ways.   
  
"How can this be possible?! How did you make it here?! Tell me!" Hikaru hissed angrily as his eyes narrowed.  
  
"It's none of your business on how, the only thing that you need to know is that we're taking our friends back!" Ryo shot back as he and Rowen were trying to get Kento out of Hikaru's snare.  
  
"More mortals," the snake demon hissed as he noticed Sage and Cye coming. "It doesn't matter, when I'm done with you, I'll deal with them."   
  
"Let go of her!" Sage warned as he and Cye got on either side of the snake demon while he drew out his nodachi.   
  
"How did you guys get here?" Kaye asked as she stole a glance.  
  
"We'll tell you later," Cye replied, "man, this thing is so ugly it makes Sekhmet look like a run way model." Sage almost dropped his nodachi in shock of what Cye just said. He shook his head in disbelief and then regained his composure.   
  
"You dare compare me to that stinking warlord of venom! I'll make you pay for that!" the snake demon hissed as it threw Kaye to the ground and charged directly at Cye.   
  
"Thunder bolt cut!" Sage called out as he delivered his sure kill directly at the snake demon making it disintegrate just before it got to him. "Cye, you alright?"  
  
"Yeah Sage, thanks, but next time, try not to cut it so close." Cye replied with a relieved smile.  
  
"Come on Cye it wasn't that close, and besides, I wouldn't want to lose the flare for the dramatic." Sage teased with a glint in his eye.  
  
"No, you've destroyed my snake demon!" Hikaru hissed angrily as he glared over towards Sage.  
  
"We'll do more than that to you if you don't let go of our friend!" Sage warned as he got ready to strike at Hikaru.   
  
"You'll risk your friend's life with a chance shot?" Hikaru asked in a cocky manner as he had Kento right in the line of fire. "If you feel like you can make your shot, then do it."   
  
While they were conversing, 'come on, where are you...There!' Kaye spotted the magical entity Dream and started to charge right at it. 'If you're not here, then Hikaru has no control over Kento's dream, and the guys will be able to stand a better chance of fighting him.' Dream saw that Kaye was coming and started to try to put up barrier after barrier, but they barely were enough to slow her down.   
  
"Do it Sage, I trust you, so do it already!" Kento said as he looked right at him, his eyes unwavering.   
  
'He's a fool! How can he show such faith in his friend? Unless, wait where's the dream walker? I don't see...No, she's over there! That's why he's telling him to do it, she's going after Dream. Once Dream is destroyed I won't have control here any more.' Hikaru thought angrily as he realized what was finally going on.   
  
'Alright here goes nothing.' Kaye thought as she glanced back and saw that Sage was about to deliver his sure kill. She looked directly at Dream, "You're done!" A bo with a rounded bladed on the end of it, materialized in her hands, Kaye took a couple of swipes and Dream was destroyed.   
  
"Now for you! Thunder bolt.." Sage started to say, but before he could finish his attack Hikaru vanished from Kento's dream. Sage sheathed his nodachi, "where do you think that he went?"  
  
"Who cares, I'm just glad that he's out of my head." Kento replied with a smirk.  
  
"Kento, you're alright?" Kaye asked in concern as she finally made it back over towards them.  
  
"Yeah, I'm just fine. A bit tired but still good." Kento replied, "what's up with your arm, are you alright?"  
  
Kaye looked down at it and then back up towards him, "it's nothing, just a scratch, I'll be alright."  
  
"Kaye, you think you'll have enough energy to get us back?" Ryo asked as he looked towards her in concern.  
  
"I think so." Kaye replied with a nod, and with that she closed her eyes and concentrated hard. A silver light shrowed over them and then it faded. When they opened their eyes, everyone found themselves in the bedroom with White Blaze and Lightning waiting for them. "So, you were the one that brought them in. Thanks." Kaye stroked the top of Lighting's head as the tiger purred in response.   
  
"Now I suggest that we finally get some sleep, and then we can start figuring out what to do in the morning." Rowen suggested as he yawned. They all nodded in response, each one went to their rooms, White Blaze went with Ryo, while Lightning went down stairs, leaving Kento and Kaye alone.   
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"I don't believe this! How could it have happened?! I don't understand!" Hikaru ranted angrily.  
  
"It's simple uncle, I know why you failed to get rid of Rei Faun and to gain his armor." Taea replied coolly.  
  
"How's that nephew?" Hikaru asked in slight annoyance as he turned around and faced him.  
  
"You're inferior, your powers are soon to be depleted. But don't worry, your powers won't go unused uncle. They'll be in good hands, my hands." Taea replied with a smirk as he summoned Shot to his side.  
  
Hikaru's eyes went wide in surprise, "you...You're betraying me, your own uncle?" Hikaru asked in disbelief.  
  
"Just like you betrayed me when you gave me up long time ago to the Rei Fauns. Your betrayal was ten times worse than the one you'll be receiving. Now say goodbye." Taea replied as he motioned to him. Shot aimed and launched an arrow directly into Hikaru's heart. Hikaru fell to his knees, all of his magic flowed from him and into Taea, then Hikaru fell the rest of the way to the floor, and turned into ash. A wind came in through the window and blew away the ashes of the once powerful body of Hikaru Tsungs. Shot was called back into her parchment, and Taea's laugh echoed through out the night. 


	16. ch 16

Destiny's Magic   
  
ch 16  
  
"Is it just me, or was last night just a bit intense?" Rowen asked, looking around the room at the others as they waited for the two sleeping Rei Fauns.   
  
"You're not kidding Rowen, but what bothers me the most is that why do I have a feeling that we've barely seen anything yet?" Cye asked, frowning slightly.  
  
"Cye, just take it easy alright, if something does come up, then we'll take care of it. We always have before, so I don't see why now is any different." Sage replied trying to reassure him. Cye nodded but he wasn't exactly totally at ease with Sage's words. "Hey, where are Kento and Kaye? Shouldn't they be down here?"   
  
"They're still sleeping Sage, last night took a lot out of them. I'm sure that they'll be down when they're ready." Ryo said, looking towards him.   
  
Upstairs, the two Rei Fauns were finally starting to wake up. "Morning." Kaye greeted, looking into Kento's eyes.  
  
"Morning." Kento replied back with a tired smile. "Are you feeling alright?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm just a little tired still, but it'll pass. What about you, are you alright?" Kaye asked, sitting up on the bed.  
  
"I'm ok, I'm just glad that Hikaru is finally out of my head." Kento replied, getting up. "But something is bothering me."  
  
Kaye looked up at him with a slight confused frown. "What's that?"  
  
"We've over slept, and missed breakfast, I'm starving." Kento replied with his goofy smile. Kaye gave a slight annoyed look, and then threw her pillow at his face. Kento was caught off guard as the pillow hit him. "Ok, now you're going to get it."   
  
"Oh, oh. Ah, bye." Kaye said, getting up quickly and taking off into the hall.   
  
Kento chased after her, "don't think you're going to get away from me!"   
  
"Yeah right, like you could catch me Kento!" Kaye called back laughing as she was running. A mischievous twinkle went off in his eyes as he leaped and summer salted over her head, cutting her off. In surprise Kaye slid right into his waiting arms. Kento smirked while he wrapped his arms around her. She looked up at him, before she knew it, they were in a kiss.  
  
Kento broke it and then smirked while he was still holding her, "I told you that you were going to get it." Snickering could be heard from behind them. They both turned around and saw that their friends now laughing. Kaye blushed and Kento rolled his eyes at them.  
  
"I'm going to change, be right back." Kaye said to Kento as she got out of his hold and went upstairs.   
  
"What was all of that about?" Cye asked with amusement.  
  
"You'll understand someday Cye," Kento replied with a smirk while looking for something to eat. "When you're married." Cye had a look of shock, the others busted out laughing.   
  
"What's so funny?" Kaye asked coming down the stairs.  
  
"Nothing much, just Kento giving Cye a bad time." Rowen replied trying to get his composure back under control.   
  
"Ah, ok." Kaye said while shaking her head.   
  
Outside a man and a woman were watching them. "Do you think that it's wise to show ourselves? It's too soon, they're not ready yet." the woman asked.  
  
"Time is running short, we know that they're the ones." the man replied looking at her. "Don't look at me like that, I know what you're thinking, but it has to be this way, and you know it." The woman sighed, of course she knew, they both did, but neither of them were feeling right about it. Every century, they went through this, destiny demanded this from them. Time and time again, they would go and search for the two people that would be able to fulfill their destiny. The last time they had to go out, it didn't work out so well, and their home was totally destroyed. Everyone that they knew, gone forever, but they knew that this time, things would be different, or so they hoped.   
  
A knock on the door suddenly started them. "What the heck? Who could that be?" Kento asked getting up from his chair.  
  
"Kento, hold on, don't answer the door." Ryo said quickly standing up with a stern look.  
  
"Ryo, what?" Kento asked taken back.  
  
"It could be a demon." Ryo replied getting in front of him.  
  
"If it was a demon, then why didn't the alarm go off?" Kento asked getting slightly annoyed with him now.  
  
"I don't know, maybe the demon can mask its power or something." Ryo replied his eyes softening just a little.  
  
"Hello, Meih, are you home?" a woman's voice called through the door.  
  
"Look Ryo, I know what you're trying to do, and I appreciate it, but does she sound like a demon?" Kento asked pushing him aside. Ryo was about to object, but he knew that it was going to be impossible since his friend is so hard headed. The others stood up while Kento went to the door. Before he got there, Lightning was right by his side. Kento looked down in surprise, but dismissed it as he looked out. "I'm sorry, but my aunt passed away last night, I'm just here to get things in order."   
  
The man and woman looked at each other with a sad glance. Of course they knew that Meih was gone, but they still played along anyway. "Oh, I'm sorry. You must be her nephew Kento, am I correct?" the woman asked knowing full well of who he was.  
  
"How did you know?" Kento asked taken back in surprise.   
  
"Your aunt talked about you a lot when we visited each other on many occasions." the woman replied with a small smile.  
  
"Kento, who is it?" Kaye asked coming to his side and ushering Lightning out of the way.  
  
"I'm sorry, we've been rude, my name is Jia Li, and this is my husband, Shen." Jia Li greeted with a smile. "As I was going to say, we were friends of his aunt."  
  
About this time, the others were at the door as well. "I don't remember my aunt saying anything about knowing you." Kento replied now getting suspicious.   
  
"It has been a while since we've seen Meih, I guess she being so busy with everything, and it probably just slipped her mind." Shen explained finally saying something.   
  
"Right, I'm sorry, but my friends and I are very busy..." Kento started to say.  
  
"Of course, we're sorry that we came at a bad time. It seems like we've always done that. Come on Jia Li, it's time to go anyway, we have an appointment to keep." Shen said while guiding his wife away from the door. Jia Li nodded and the two left the grounds. Just before Kento shut the door, Lightning ran outside.  
  
'Lightning, where are you going? Lightning!' Kaye asked him telepathically. The tiger didn't answer as he ran out of sight. Kaye frowned, "why does he keep doing that?"  
  
"Doing what?" Sage asked as they were going into the living room.  
  
"Running off to who knows where." Kaye replied in slight annoyance.  
  
"I'm sure that he'll be fine Kaye. Besides, he can take care of himself, and if he gets into trouble, he can always teleport out of it." Cye said in a reassuring way. Kaye just nodded, but still felt uneasy about it.   
  
  
  
When they were far enough, Jia Li and Shen looked around to see if anyone was around. Not a soul in sight, "we've made our presence known, but do you think that they'll catch on?" Jia Li asked looking over at him.  
  
"I hope that they do. But I have a feeling that it'll be too late before they realize it." Shen replied with a sadden look.   
  
"So then, in the meantime, we just sit back and wait? Shen…" Jai Li said in a sad tone.  
  
Shen looked at his wife, "I know Jai Li, but it has to be like this, you know it, and so do I."  
  
"It's not fair to them, they're so young…" Jai Li argued while looking into his eyes.  
  
"Do you think it was fair when it was us that went through it?" Shen asked as his hand went up to her face. Jai Li shook her head as she put her hand on top of his. "I know it's going to be hard for everyone, but it has to be done."  
  
"I know Shen, I know." Jai Li replied quietly, their aura glowed around them and they disappeared. 


	17. ch 17

Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 17  
  
Oni was waiting patiently for Taea's arrival. IT seemed like it's been hours since they've spoken to each other. In actuality, it was only one hour. "About time, were you able to get your part done?"  
  
"Yes Oni, my uncle is dead, and I have his powers. His body was nothing but dust when I was finally done with him." Taea replied with a bored look. "Now, what about yours?"  
  
"Mine is going to take a bit more time, and of course some help from you." Oni said in a drawled out fashion.  
  
"Why do you need my help? What's the matter Oni, can't you get rid of them alone?" Taea taunted with a smirk.   
  
"If you think it's so easy to go up against the demon lord and his priestess, be my guest. Remember, they also just gained new powers from the two Rei Fauns." Oni pointed out. "But I'll understand if you don't want to help out on this. Just because you wouldn't want to be known as the world's best demon slayer. Well, that's fine by me, I'll just figure out a different way to take them out." Taea scowled at Oni, and then he smiled in a cruel way. "Good try Oni, playing on my ego. If I didn't know better, I'd say that you're planning against me."  
  
"You're being paranoid Taea." Oni replied looking at him in amusement.  
  
"Right, but in any case, I do have an idea that just might take out all of our problems, and get exactly what we want." Taea gloated pulling out the one parchment and talisman that'll help them.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"My lord, the targets have been set up in the way you've requested." Nara reported approaching him.  
  
"Good, now call forth the dragon." Dark Lighter ordered with a dangerous glint in his eyes. Nara gave a nod, and then did what was requested. The dragon was extremely tall. A mix of red and yellow scales surrounded the body. Its eyes were emerald green. The demon lord motioned for the dragon to se the targets on fire.   
  
The dragon hit each target with pin point accuracy. It didn't take long for the dragon to complete the task. The demon lord ordered the dragon to back where he came from. He nodded, and then left Nara and Dark Lighter alone with the burning targets.   
  
"Alright, would you mind explaining what happened, my lord?" Nara asked curiously.  
  
"Just watch, and you'll understand." the demon lord replied. Reaching into his belt, he pulled out a round talisman that had the kanji for fire on it. The Dark Lighter spoke an incantation and threw it into the air. Lightning crackled in the air around it, sending it to each of the fire lit targets, linking them together. The talisman came down from the sky and implanted itself into the creatures head as it finally towered high over them. The creature was made a mix of magic and pure dragon fire. The fire creature stood on four legs, wings protruded out of its sides. While the coloring of its body was a mix of reds and yellows, the chest of this fire demon was an electric blue. It roared to life, the demon lord and Nara smiled cruelly. "Now go forth my fire demon, destroy everything in your path, and bring back what was taken from me."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
'Everything that we've been through, from Talpa, the Dynasty, soldiers, nether spirits, and whatever else we faced. This really takes the cake, I mean having powers besides my armor. It scares me, but I'm not going to admit that to them, especially not Kaye. If it was just me, then I'd have no problem with this, but it isn't. There's just too many things that are going on right now. Hikaru Tsungs as far as we know is gone, Taea has retreated to who knows where. The Dark Lighter and his demon priestess are still searching for us. Now two people coming out of nowhere saying that they knew my aunt. What do they want anyway?' Kento thought with a frown throwing a rock across the water.   
  
Inside, the guys were sitting around the table talking, while Kaye was holding onto a book of some kind and gazing out the back window. "Kaye?" Cye said trying to get her attention.  
  
"Huh, oh sorry Cye." Kaye apologized with a small smile.  
  
Cye frowned slightly, "why don't you go out there and talk to him?"  
  
"It looks like he just wants to be left alone right now." Kaye replied holding the book tighter. "He won't want to talk to anyone."  
  
"Kaye, Kento needs someone right now. We know that he won't admit it, but how would we know if one of us goes out there and talk to him. Besides, you'll have better luck than the rest of us anyway." Cye teased with a nudge.   
  
"Alright, you talked me into it. Let me know something Cye." Kaye replied turning around.  
  
"Yeah?" Cye asked in curiosity.  
  
"How can you always talk me into things so easily?" Kaye asked back with a light laugh. Cye shrugged and then ushered her out towards the door. Kaye shook her head and went out back.   
  
"Kento?" Kaye called out to him while approaching. Kento glanced back and then returned his gaze to the water. He picked up another stone, and tossed it across, watching the ripples slowly fade away. Kaye walked up next to him, gazing out towards the water as well. She frowned slightly, and then opened the book. Leafing through the pages, until she found what she was looking for. Kento took a quick quizzical glance, Kaye caught his eye and smirked a little.   
  
He smiled back, "what's that?"   
  
"A spell book that I found. You know how my curiosity gets to me." Kaye replied looking towards him.   
  
Kento laughed, "yeah do I ever."   
  
"Hey!" Kaye replied in a mock hurt, but then smiled at him. "Anyway, check this out, I think you might like it, who knows, you might even try it too." Kaye spoke the words on the page. In front of them, the water parted, and rose high, and then came down like a waterfall.   
  
"Whoa." Kento's eyes went wide in amazement.   
  
"Well?" Kaye asked raising an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Well what?" Kento asked back.  
  
"Are you going to try it, or is it too hard for you?" Kaye challenged with a smirk. "But if you don't think you'll be able to do it..."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Kento replied, "give me that, and I'll show you how it's done." Kaye handed the book over to him. Kento looked over to her, and then looked onto the words that were on the page. He spoke the incantation, and the water parted, went higher than the first time. The waves climbed a little higher, and then cascaded down. "Too hard, huh? Hang on, I want to try a different one." Kento flipped to another page, he spoke the words on the page. "I thought that it would..." Before he could finish, both of them were floating in the air and over the water.   
  
"Kento!" Kaye laughed looking towards him. "What did you do?"  
  
"I wanted to see if I could make us fly." Kento replied with his goofy smile.  
  
"Well, it worked." Kaye said with a smile. But just as they went a little higher, the spell wore off and they fell into the water below. The guys ran out to see if they were alright.  
  
"Kento!" Cye called out for him while searching.  
  
"Kaye!" Ryo yelled through cupped hands.  
  
"Guys, they're over here!" Sage called to them.   
  
"Are they alright?" Rowen asked slightly worried as he, Cye and Ryo finally made it over to where he was.   
  
"Take a look for yourself." Sage replied smirking pointing over to where they surfaced.   
  
"I don't believe it." Cye said laughing while watching the two splashing each other. While they were watching, Ryo looked up, his smile vanished as he saw the giant fire demon that wasn't too far from their location.  
  
Rowen looked over towards the now quiet ronin, and frowned. "Ryo, what..." Ryo motioned over towards the creature. "What is that?!" The others stopped and looked to where Ryo's and Rowen's attention was diverted. 


	18. ch 18

Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 18  
  
On a mountain ledge, not too far, Taea and Oni were watching what was starting to unfold before them. "It looks like Dark Lighter has already made his move." Oni said in amusement with a smirk.  
  
"How do you know that's his creation, and not just some regular demon that crossed over?" Taea asked in curiosity.  
  
"For a demon slayer, you don't know much about demons." Oni replied with a scoff.  
  
"Be careful who you're insulting Oni." Taea warned with a angry growl.  
  
Oni's eyes flashed angrily as he suddenly faced him, "you remember who you're talking to," looks at him in disgust. "Child. You maybe a slayer, and you may have your uncle's powers, but you're no match, you don't even come close. So don't even think about trying to get the best of me." Turns his attention back to what was going on below.   
  
Taea growled angrily as he was finding two parchments and two talismans. 'So don't even think about trying to get the best of me, he says. I'll show him, no one talks to me like that.' Taea found what magical entities he was looking for and got them ready.   
  
"Watch it!" Ryo warned while the fire demon swiped at them. Everyone scattered into different directions. The fire demon roared angrily, and then decided to try again. Just as it was about to, the fire demon saw its intentional targets. Ryo looked over to where the fire demon has its attention. "Kento, Kaye!" The two Rei Fauns quickly turned around and saw that the fire demon was blocking them off from the others.   
  
"No! Super wave smasher!" Cye called out, firing on the beast. Cye's attack hit its mark, but it didn't phase the demon one bit. Cye lowered his trident in shock.   
  
"I don't believe it, Cye's attack should have worked!" Sage said in astonishment. "Cye, try again!" Cye nodded and took aim as he tried a second time to fire his attack at the fire demon. Again, it did no good. "This can't be, no way."  
  
"If Cye's attack couldn't even phase him, then what will?" Ryo wondered with a concerned frown.  
  
"Ryo, what about the Inferno?" Rowen suggested looking over towards him.   
  
"I don't know Rowen..." Ryo started to say with a very deep frown.  
  
"Ryo, if we don't do something quick, Kento and Kaye are going to be pretty much fried." Rowen replied frowning at him. Ryo was still very hesitant, but he didn't see any other option at the time. He sighed and then gave a small nod. The other four armors glowed as Ryo concentrated on calling the Inferno armor.  
  
'Wait for it, that's it, just a little bit longer.' Taea grinned evilly while motioning towards the two entities that he already called out. A girl, looking downward with a mirror on her chest, and another girl with wings were waiting for the perfect opportunity. The time that they were waiting for was now, for Ryo was standing ready, dawned in the Inferno armor.   
  
"Kento, Kaye, take cover!" Ryo called out to them. The two Rei Fauns ran to a nearby boulder that was to the side and braced themselves for Ryo's attack. "Rage of Inferno!" The intertwining of the red and yellow flames, twisted into a firery tornado, and engulfed the fire demon. Ryo stood there, breathing slightly labored, eyes completely focused on his target.  
  
"Did it work?" Cye asked in a curious tone. At exactly the same time when Ryo was transformed into the Inferno and then when he called upon his attack, the two entities glowed. Taea gave an evil grin, he knew that his plan was working without a hitch. The two entities, stopped glowing as soon as Ryo delivered his attack. Then the two entities disappeared as well as Taea and Oni.  
  
"Wha. Kento, Kaye, stay where you are!" Ryo called out urgently.  
  
"Ryo?" Rowen asked looking at him with a confused frown.  
  
"I didn't destroy it, the demon's still here." Ryo replied as his gaze never left his target.   
  
"What!? But that's impossible! It should have worked! Nothing can with stand the fire power of the Inferno armor!" Sage exclaimed in disbelief. Ryo went immediately into defensive position. The other three quickly did the same exactly at the same time as Ryo's attack vanished, and the fire demon stood right where it did, not even phased. It roared in triumph while looking for its prey.   
  
"No, this can't be happening." Kaye said, "why didn't it work?"  
  
Kento frowned deeply, "I don't know, but I'm not going to stand by the side lines and watch them get fried by some stupid fire demon!"  
  
"I know, neither do I, but what can we..." Kaye replied with a frown and then she suddenly got an idea. "Kento, where's the spell book? There might be something in there that'll help them."  
  
"I didn't see where it went when we hit the water." Kento said with a slight frown.  
  
"It had to have landed somewhere close by, right." Kaye suggested while scanning the area. "Kento look, over there!"   
  
Kento groaned a little in annoyance, "great, but one problem, we have that thing in our way. How are we going to get to it without getting barbequed?"   
  
"We need a distraction or something, we're only going to get one shot to get that spell book." Kaye replied looking at him with determined eyes. Kento nodded and then looked over to the others.   
  
'Hey, Cye.' Kento called out to him telepathically.  
  
'Kento? What is it? In case you haven't notice, we're a little busy at the moment.' Cye replied with a slight frown.  
  
'I can see that, listen, Kaye and I are going to try and go for the spell book, but we're going to need a distraction. Do you guys think you can pull one off for us?' Kento asked hopefully.  
  
'We can try, good luck, and be careful.' Cye replied.  
  
"Kento, what did he say?" Kaye asked looking at him. "Will they be able to do it?"  
  
"Yeah, they're going to try, be ready to run." Kento replied with a nod. They looked over towards the others, waiting for the signal.   
  
"Hey guys, Kento and Kaye are going to need a distraction." Cye told them with a slight frown while glancing around at them.  
  
"Did he say why?" Sage asked in a confused frown.  
  
"Yeah, they're going to go for the spell book that's on the other side of the fire demon." Cye replied with a slight nod.  
  
"Do you think that's a good idea? I mean, the Inferno didn't even phase the thing, and they want to try something from that book?" Ryo asked in a concerned tone.  
  
"It's the only option that we have, Ryo." Rowen replied with a frown, glancing at him.  
  
Ryo glared at the fire demon, and his own fire lit up in his eyes. "Alright then, let's do it!' Ryo and the others automatically went into defensive positions and then each of them delivered their sure kills exactly at once, hoping that'll buy them enough time.  
  
The fire demon roared extremely loud as it raised its head in anger. "Looks like that's it, let's go!" Kento said as the two of them took their chance and headed for the spell book.  
  
Ryo glanced at them from the corner of his eye. "Keep it up! They're almost to the book!" The fire demon heard the sound of kicking sand while Kento and Kaye were running behind it. The fire demon turned its head just as they were a couple of feet from the book.   
  
Cye's eyes went wide in concern." Kento, Kaye, watch it!"   
  
"Wha...Dive!" Kento warned while taking Kaye's hand and dove to the side before getting hit with the fire demon's attack.   
  
The guys were about to run over to them, but the fire demon stayed in their way. "Kento, Kaye, are you two alright?!" Rowen called out to them.   
  
Kento raised his head and looked over towards them, "yeah, we're ok!"   
  
Kaye looked over towards the book and groaned in defeat. "No..." 


	19. ch 19

Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 19  
  
"Where is it, where did it go?" Kaye asked in confusion looking at the exact spot where the spell book was resting.  
  
"You mean this?" Dark Lighter asked with a grin while holding onto it. Dark Lighter tossed it between his hands, taunting them, wanting them to come for the book.   
  
"You know, this might have been able to help you against my creature." Grabs the book by the binder and then incinerates it in his hand, and then looks at them with  
  
an evil grin. "Oops, look what I have done. Now you have no way of defeating my creation."   
  
"Great, it's not like we don't have enough problems already." Sage said under his breath in annoyance.   
  
"Well guess what, add one more problem to the scenario." Nara replied with a cruel grin while standing behind them. "It's just not your day, now is it?" Kento and Kaye were about to stand, when Nara emitted an energy wave right at Cye, Rowen, Ryo and Sage, knocking them back a few feet.  
  
"No, guys!" Kaye exclaimed while she and Kento were about to run over towards them.   
  
"Where do you think you two are going?" Dark Lighter asked in a curious tone.  
  
"Our friends need our help, if it's any business of yours? So get out of our way, or we'll plow right through you!" Kento shot back glaring at him angrily.   
  
Dark Lighter grinned, his eyes twinkled from amusement of Kento's ultimatum, "go ahead and try." All of a sudden, two pairs of hands burst from the ground underneath, and grabbed onto Kento's and Kaye's ankles, anchoring them to where they're standing. They tried to break away, but the grips were too strong.   
  
"Having problems?"  
  
"Let them go!" Ryo demanded, glaring at the Dark Lighter while he and the others struggled to try and stand.   
  
Laughter came from behind them, they looked back and saw that Nara was grinning like a cheshire cat. "I'd be more concerned about yourselves at the present  
  
moment." At that instant, Nara put her palms together, did a small chant and then three other copies of herself went in front of each of them. Nara then opened her eyes. The one that was sparring off with Sage did a jump seven hundred and twenty degrees and threw a roundhouse kick and then followed it up with a hook kick at the end, knocking Sage a good twenty feet.   
  
"Sage!" Rowen exclaimed, his eyes went wide in concern. He was about to run to him when the Nara copy that was in front of him blocked his way. Rowen growled at her. She jumps up, both legs do an outside crescent kicks at the same time. Reaching full side-splits as she hits her max height, her attack is completed as she descend landing feet together. Rowen yelled out and flew back, crashing into a tall tree.  
  
"Rowen, no!" Cye yelled but he too was cut off. His opponent did a round house kick done with a jump to Cye's head, making him spin and land on the ground.   
  
"Cye!" Ryo called out to him in concern, he then glared at Nara. "Call them off, now!"   
  
Nara laughed, "you're in no position to be telling me what to do Wildfire." Nara launched off with a scissor kick, but just before she landed, Nara shot out a roundhouse with the leading leg. Ryo flew back and dropped to the ground a few feet away. None of the guys were moving, all of them were out cold.   
  
"Guys! Guys!" Kaye called out to them in concern while she and Kento were stuck in their present situation.  
  
Dark Lighter laughed, "It'll do you no good to call out to them. They can't answer at the present moment. So now the two of you are going to come with us."  
  
"We're not going anywhere with either of you!" Kento growled angrily while he and Kaye were trying to get free.  
  
Nara called back her replicas and started to walk towards them. "Oh, you're going, you don't have a choice in the matter." With that being said, Nara's eyes glowed and risen Kento and Kaye from the ground and towards the fire demon's electric blue chest. The chest started to open up more as they were floating closer to it.   
  
Not too far off, 'why aren't you helping them? Why are you two just standing there?' Lightning asked angrily glaring at them.  
  
'We can't interfere with destiny, no matter how much we want to.' Jia Li replied with a slight frown.  
  
'Destiny is the one that decides their fate, not us.' Shen said sadly looking at Lightning.  
  
'I don't care if it's destiny, fate, tradition or whatever! I'm not going to lose my daughter and son-in-law to some two bit demon lord and his priestess! If you're not going to help them, then I will!' Lightning growled angrily taking off from them.   
  
"Foolish tiger, he's going to get himself hurt or worse with his rash actions." Shen scolded while he and Jia Li watched him go. Shen glanced over towards Jia Li, "don't give me that look. I understand how you feel, and you understand on how I feel as well. But it can't be changed, no matter how much we want it to."  
  
Once Kento and Kaye were inside of the fire demon's chest, Lightning pounced in from out of nowhere roaring in anger. Lightning's roar was enough to start to wake the Ronins that were laying on the ground. They started to slowly move, pushing themselves up, looking up and saw that their friends were captured. "Let them go!" Ryo said angrily while he and the others were starting to slowly stand.   
  
"Hey guys, mind getting us down from here!?" Kento called down to them.   
  
"Hang on you two, we're coming!" Rowen called back to them, and then saying under his breath. "Just as soon as we figure out how."   
  
Nara and Lightning were fighting each other, when all of a sudden Nara decided to pull off her copy trick again. "Lightning, watch out!" Kaye yelled out to the tiger. Nara's copy kicked the tiger straight in the midsection, cracking his ribs, having the tiger cry in pain. The other Ronins' eyes went wide when the tiger flew back and slid for a few feet, finally rolled to a complete stop. He looked up sadly, and then his head dropped to the ground. Nara's copy vanished and she stood there laughing.   
  
"Now that the tiger is out of the way, and we have what we came for. It's time for us to take our leave, come Nara." Dark Lighter said motioning to her for them to leave. "Goodbye, it's been fun, we'd like to stick around and kick you around some more, but we have more important business to take care of." With that they left in a ball of fire, taking their friends with them.   
  
"Sage, how's Lightning?" Cye asked in concern while he was looking over the tiger.  
  
"His ribs are broken, he's lucky that they didn't shatter when she kicked him. I'll be able to heal him, but he'll be out of commission for a while." Sage replied with a frown.  
  
"Do it then, in the meantime, we have to figure out how to get our friends back." Ryo said with a deep frown as his eyes kept focus of where they were before the fire demon took them away. The Inferno armor vanished as he was walking closer to the area. His temper was flaring with every step that he took, until he came to a stop by a tree. He yelled angrily as he grabbed onto his katanas and took a single swipe at the tree. It fell over with a crashing thud, embedding itself into the ground.   
  
"Ryo! Snap out of it!" Rowen said sternly looking at him with a deep frown.   
  
"Rowen, you don't understand! Even with the Inferno, I still couldn't help them!" Ryo growled turning around and glaring at him.  
  
"Just knock it off Ryo! Look, it's not just you that works the Inferno, it takes all five of us to create it. You may wear the armor, but that doesn't mean that we don't feel the same as you! They're our friends too!" Rowen shot back clenching his fists.   
  
"Guys, stop it! Arguing isn't going to help anything. We know where they went, because we've been there before. So all we have to do is come up with a different plan of attack!" Cye said trying to break up their bickering.  
  
"Cye's right, Kento and Kaye are counting on us to get them out of there. But if all you two are going to do is fight each other, then we won't get them out!" Sage pointed out when he finally finished healing Lightning.  
  
Ryo sighed as he closed his eyes, "look Rowen, I'm sorry, I guess that I just lost my head for a second."   
  
"Hey no big deal Ryo. But Cye and Sage do have a point." Rowen replied with a smirk. "We have to put our bickering aside, especially when we going to come up with a way to get our friends back." 


	20. ch 20

Destiny's Magic  
  
ch 20  
  
"Everything's in place," Taea said while he and Oni watched them from the shadows. "Do you think that you can get them there?"  
  
Oni gave a slight laugh, "don't you worry, I'll get them there, you just be ready." Taea gave a slight nod and then vanished.   
  
"So, where do we go from here?" Cye asked with a slight frown looking around at the rest of them.  
  
"The only place to go, Dark Lighter's lair." Rowen replied with confident tone. The sound of cackling suddenly enveloped around them. They looked around quickly to see where it was coming from.  
  
"Who's there? Show yourself!" Ryo demanded angrily drawing out his katanas.  
  
"Easy there Wildfire, there's no need to be hostile." Oni replied sitting down on a bolder and facing them.  
  
"No need...Look, our friends were taken by the demon lord and his priestess back to their lair! Doing who knows what to them, and you say there's no need to be hostile!" Ryo shot back growling with his eyes narrowing at him.  
  
"I already know that, so does every demon that's around." Oni replied not budging from where he was.  
  
"So then why are you here?!" Sage asked glaring at Oni.  
  
"Since every demon and his brethren already know that the last two Rei Faun slayers have been captured. They'll all go to the demon lord's lair and witness their execution." Oni replied nonchalantly.  
  
"Executed!" Cye exclaimed in horror, "no, we can't let that happen!"  
  
"We won't Cye," Ryo replied sheathing his katanas. "We're going to storm the lair and get them out."  
  
Oni just laughed at what he said, "you still don't get it. The capture of any slayer is quite the festivity to the demon kind. As long as there are slayers, demons won't be able to freely walk the Earth."   
  
"No, you don't understand, they are our friends, and we're not going to let them get away with executing them! We'll stop Dark Lighter, no matter what the cost!" Rowen seethed angrily.  
  
"Since the four of you are so, how to put it, gun ho about this, I suppose that I can help you get inside." Oni replied standing up.  
  
"Why should we trust you? You're a demon for crying out loud! For all we know, you could be leading us into a trap of some kind!" Cye exclaimed angrily glaring at him.  
  
"I could be, or I could just actually think that you Ronins have a chance to free them." Oni replied jumping off of the bolder. "I guess, we'll never know. So, I'll just be on my way." Oni started walking away from them.   
  
"Oni, wait," Rowen called out to him.   
  
"Rowen, are you crazy?!" Ryo asked angrily glaring at him as he put a hand on his shoulder and quickly turned him around.  
  
"Ryo, we can't exactly walk in the front door, there has to be another way in. They'll more in likely be expecting us." Rowen replied trying to rationalize the situation.  
  
Sage frowned deeply, "Ryo, Rowen's right, as much as I don't trust this demon as far as I can throw him, we don't exactly have a choice." Ryo glared at Sage, he couldn't believe that they're depending upon a demon to help them get their friends back.   
  
"Alright, fine, we'll follow you inside, but if you even think about betraying us..."  
  
Oni laughed as he turned his head and looked at them. "I wouldn't dream of it. Now, let's get going, we're wasting time just standing here talking." The Ronins looked around at each other with deep frowns, and then followed the demon.  
  
At the demon lord's lair, hundreds upon hundreds of demons were coming as soon as they got word that two slayers have been captured. Demons from every shape, size, and power were gathering for the festivity, getting anxious for the ceremony to begin. "My demons, the time has come! Soon we'll be able to walk top side, no longer will we have to hide underground! The portals shall remain open, so you'll be able to travel between your realms and the realm of Earth! There will be no one to stop us from taking over the human world, and making it our own!" Dark Lighter cackled as his eyes gleamed in excitement. The demons cheered and chanted, wanting to see the last two slayers. "Nara, lower them down."   
  
"Of course, my lord." Nara replied with a bow. She then pulled a lever; Kento and Kaye were slowly lowered into the center of the room, hanging from chains that were bounded around their wrists. Demons were jumping up, and trying to claw at them, but they were just out of reach.   
  
"There they are, and it looks like Dark Lighter and his priestess are about ready for the execution." Oni reported whispering.  
  
"NO!" Ryo exclaimed angrily as he was about ready to charge out of their hiding place.   
  
Oni pulled Ryo down hard next to him. "Are you out of your mind?! You can't just charge in there! In case you didn't notice, you're vastly out numbered."   
  
"I don't care! I'm not going to sit here and wait for an opening! The longer we wait, the less of a chance we'll get to.." Ryo replied in a very angry whisper.  
  
While the two of them were arguing, Sage took a look around their surroundings. "Ryo, we're going to need the Inferno."  
  
"What?! Sage, did you get any brain damage during the fight with Nara? You saw what happened the last time!" Ryo exclaimed in disbelief glancing back at him.  
  
"I know, but if anyone is going to even come close in surviving, you have to call it!" Sage shot back.  
  
"Look, as much as I would love to see you two fight it out, I'd suggest that you make a decision, because we have company." Oni pointed out as a demon horde was coming straight for them. Without another word, Oni leapt right into battle, leaving the rest of the Ronins behind.   
  
"Kento, you're armor, it's glowing!" Kaye pointed out looking at him.   
  
"That means the guys are here, but where are they?" Kento asked while they looked around trying to find them.   
  
"It doesn't matter, you're time is up! Now say goodbye!" Dark Lighter replied taking aim at them. Kento and Kaye started to frantically struggle from their chains. During their fight with the other demons, Rowen took a glance up and saw that Dark Lighter was about to execute his victims. His eyes went wide, "NO!" Rowen quickly pulled back onto his arrow and prayed to whatever deity that was listening to guide his shot. "Come on, come on..."  
  
"Rowen, watch your back!" Cye warned bringing his yari up and slashing a couple of demons that were about to jump him. Rowen glanced back and gave a short thankful nod. Cye nodded back and resumed fighting. Rowen looked back to where his arrow should have hit, but when he did neither of them were there. "Kento, Kaye!"  
  
"Rowen, what's wrong?!" Sage called out to him slashing a couple of demons.   
  
"Kento and Kaye, they were there a second ago, and then I turned around, then they're gone...Did I miss? No, I couldn't..." Rowen replied as his eyes widened in disbelief.  
  
"Hey Rowen!" A voice called out to him.  
  
"Ken...Kento?!" Rowen called back as his heart came close in skipping a beat.  
  
"Yeah, who else? Hey, next time watch where you shoot! I didn't need a hair cut!" Kento joked with a smirk on his face while he and Kaye were trying to fight their way to them. Rowen laughed in relief and then resumed fighting their way to their friends. While all of this was going on, Oni and Taea finally met up with each other.  
  
"Are you ready?" Oni asked while watching the fight.  
  
"Yeah, I have our two weapons in position, all we need now is for that fool Wildfire to call upon the Inferno and then the rest will be history." Taea replied with a cruel smile.   
  
"Alright, I'm going to call the Inferno!" Ryo said. The others gave a quick nod and sent their powers to him. In a blink of an eye, Ryo was standing in the Inferno armor. "Cye, Rowen, try and get to Kento and Kaye. Sage, I want you to look for an exit! Go, now, I'll take care of Dark Lighter and his priestess."   
  
"Watch yourself Ryo." Cye called back as he and Rowen started fighting their way to them.  
  
"Dark Lighter!" Ryo challenged angrily facing him with the Fervor swords ready.  
  
"You're a fool to think that you even stand a chance against me with that armor! But you're more than welcome to try!" Dark Lighter laughed with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. Ryo growled angrily, and then started to call upon his attack. Here is where everyone stood, Kento and Kaye fighting the demons from where they fell in the center of the lair. Dark Lighter and Nara were standing on a platform that was behind those two. Ryo was in front of them, more than ready to call upon his attack. Cye and Rowen were getting closer to their friends. Sage was standing on a cliff over looking that lead to an exit. Oni was standing next to Taea and two girls. One was looking downward with a mirror on her chest, and another girl with wings. The girl with the mirror on her chest changed into an exact replica of Ryo with the Inferno, they were on the left side of Kento and Kaye, waiting in the shadows for their opportunity. At exactly the same time that Ryo called upon the Inferno's attack, the girl with wings duplicated his voice and the same attack came from the girl that changed into Ryo. Both attacks were headed straight for Kento, Kaye, Nara, and the Dark Lighter.   
  
"What's...What's going on?! I can't seem to call off my attack!" Ryo said in a panic. Cye and Rowen stopped dead in their tracks, Sage's eyes widen in horror, a bright silver and golden light came out of nowhere and blended into the attacks of the two Inferno armors. A huge explosion of power hit directly in the center of the lair, and then there was nothing but dead silence...  
  
"No...NO!" Ryo's eyes widened in extreme horror as his armor somehow called itself away.   
  
"Ryo, what..?!" Cye asked him in concern, but when he didn't get a reply, he looked over and saw what Ryo was staring so horrified at. "NO!" Tears ran from Cye's eyes as he hurriedly ran over to the two bodies that were laying close to each other. Sage quickly jumped off of the cliff and ran over to them, Rowen was in a shock state as well.   
  
"This can't be happening! It can't..." Ryo said getting hysterical, and then he looks widely at Sage. "Sage, heal them, you have to heal them!"   
  
"We have to get them above ground, it's not safe here the whole place will come down on us any minute!" Rowen replied with a deep frown picking up Kento's body.   
  
Cye nodded with tears in his eyes as he picked up Kaye's body. As soon as they got a hold of them, Sage lead them to the exit that he found on the cliff. On the climb, he glanced back and saw that Dark Lighter and Nara were both incinerated beyond recognition. He closed his eyes, and then turned his head up and opened them resuming his climb.   
  
During their climb, the Ronins didn't even notice that Taea and Oni were watching them from below. "I can't believe that your plan actually worked. It got rid of Dark Lighter, his priestess, and the two Rei Fauns. I'm impressed Taea." Oni said with a grin.  
  
"You were in doubt?" Taea asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"In the beginning, but then once I saw that it actually worked," Oni replied, and then his eyes glowed red and his claws plunged deep into Taea's heart. Oni twisted it a couple of times before he jerked it out and tossed it aside.   
  
Taea gasped in surprise, "why. Why, did you betray me Oni?" asking in his dying breath.  
  
Oni just looked at the dead body of the last line of the Tsungs family. "I told you before...You know nothing about demons, you're a worthless demon slayer, just like your uncle. You should have known, never and I repeat, never strike a bargain with a demon." Oni replied with an evil laugh as he vanished while the demon lord's lair collapsed, burying it completely. When they finally made it outside, Rowen and Cye laid Kento's and Kaye's bodies down on the ground. Sage went between them to see what he could do.   
  
They couldn't believe what or even how it happened. "Ryo..." Cye started to say turning around and facing him. "What happened!?"  
  
"I...I don't know." Ryo replied in extreme confusion.  
  
"You don't know! Ryo, our friends are dead!" Cye yelled at him angrily about ready to charge him.  
  
"Cye, don't!" Rowen said grabbing onto his arm.  
  
"Rowen..." Cye shouted at him as he yanked his arm away.   
  
"Ryo, do you have any idea..?" Sage asked as he kept on trying to heal them.  
  
"All I know, is that I was totally focused on destroying Dark Lighter and his priestess that I...I, God, it's my fault...It's my fault!" Ryo yelled at the top of his lungs angrily. Ryo balled his fists so tight that his knuckles were turning white. He started to pound trees, boulders, anything solid that got in his way.   
  
"Sage?" Cye asked hopefully.   
  
"I'm sorry Cye, I did everything that I could, they're....They're dead." Sage replied as he let his tears flow freely down his face.  
  
"No. NO!" Cye exclaimed falling down onto his knees by Kento's body. "Kento, come on, you can't die..." Rowen sadly walked over towards Kaye's body and slowly fell to his knees.   
  
"They're actually gone, I don't believe it." Rowen said quietly as his tears and everyone else's tears flowed like a broken dam. Each of them morning for their lost friends, past memories flooded their minds, while their feelings flooded over their hearts. 


End file.
